ICC World Cup: Rassie van der Dussen steers South Africa past Afghanistan

AHMEDABAD: Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten half-century and a 64-run partnership for the first wicket between Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma helped South Africa beat Afghanistan by five wickets in their concluding league fixture of the ICC World Cup in Ahmedabad on Friday.

Chasing 245 for victory, the Proteas, who had already qualified for the semi-finals, completed the task with 15 balls to spare.

They now have 14 points and continue to occupy the second spot behind India, who have 16 points.

De Kock (41) and Bavuma (23) gave the Proteas the early push before Van der Dussen scored an unbeaten 76 off 95 balls to guide the team home.

This will be a morale-boosting for South Africa going into the semi-finals as they finally won comfortably chasing a target.

The defeat notwithstanding, Afghanistan, who shocked defending champions England and Pakistan in a promising campaign, go home with heads held high.

Earlier, young all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai left a lasting impression on World Cup 2023 with an unbeaten 97-run knock as Afghanistan laboured to 244.

Continuing his good run in the tournament, Omarzai hammered 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 107-ball knock. Sadly, he missed out on a maiden ODI hundred after failing to score off the last three deliveries in the final over of the innings, bowled by Kagiso Rabada.

Gerald Coetzee was the most successful South African bowler, finishing with figures of 4 for 44 in 10 overs.

Afghanistan were off to a steady start after skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi opted to bat first, but South Africa meant business and snared three wickets for four runs, leaving them in a spot of bother at 45 for 3 in the 11th over.

At that point it seemed as if the decision to bat first would backfire even as Temba Bavuma marshalled his resources well to keep South Africa ahead in the game at the Narendra Modi stadium.

Even before the Proteas could celebrate the first breakthrough they faced an anxious moment when pacer Lungi Ngidi went off the field after suffering what looked like an ankle or achilles issue.

The pacer, however, returned to pick the wickets of Rahmat Shah and Mohammad Nabi, who nicked one to Quinton de Kock after facing just three balls, leaving his team reeling at 116 for 6 in the 28th over.

Omarzai and Rashid Khan kept the scoreboard ticking during a 44-run stand for the sixth wicket, helping their team cross 150 before the latter fell to a soft dismissal.

Omarzai, then, found another able ally in Noor Ahmad who contributed a useful 26 in a 44-run partnership. Agencies

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