What's new

ICC World Cup 2023: South Africa (247/5) beat Afghanistan (244) by 5 wickets

Without Fazal, AFG attack is a bit one dimensional.
 
South Africa is handling the chase well albeit it is a dead rubber. Real challenge will be how they will go about in a do or die match.
 
Really wanted QDK to score century today. To equal the record of Rohit Sharma
 
Edged but gets 4. This wicket would have made things very interesting
 
SAF still I believe will win this comfortably, but they are poor chasers for sure. Without any pressure of asking rate, in an absolute dead rubber, so far they have gifted three wickets chasing 244 & now confused in between attack or defence.
 
MMHS said:
SAF still I believe will win this comfortably, but they are poor chasers for sure. Without any pressure of asking rate, in an absolute dead rubber, so far they have gifted three wickets chasing 244 & now confused in between attack or defence.
Click to expand...

If Afghans can make it 150/5, they can win this.
 
sweep_shot said:
If Afghans can make it 150/5, they can win this.
Click to expand...
On this track, had they batted first…. each one of them would have approached the game right way - get settled, build partnerships & blast once settled. My hunch is two of them would have got to hundred and SAF 370+

They loose every game plan while chasing and find some funny ways to get out. I have seen teams struggling to chase for lack of hitting power - they struggle to survive in the middle. 4 down.
 
Australia was lucky to play at the wankhede not the bigger ground like Ahmedabad where the challenge will be more.
 
After that disheartening loss, it would have so easy to roll over. Not this Afghan team. Fighting like tigers here. They are no more minnows. Consistent performances after that loss vs BD. Their batting is good, bowling is good. Massive improvement in fielding is needed and they can be tough to beat.
 
rhony said:
After that disheartening loss, it would have so easy to roll over. Not this Afghan team. Fighting like tigers here. They are no more minnows. Consistent performances after that loss vs BD. Their batting is good, bowling is good. Massive improvement in fielding is needed and they can be tough to beat.
Click to expand...

Would be interesting to see how they do in SENA countries.

But, yeah. Very encouraging signs.
 
I think Shoaib Malik said this Saffers batting second seem like Kenya a different team altogether.
 
30 more runs from Afghans they would have had a real shot. this is not even that helpful of a track for spinners like Chennai.
 
Afghanistan has played some excellent cricket this WC definitely should have been in semis . Pakistan has been inferior to them this tournament
 
I had a misconception that 1-4 SF is at Eden…

Now, I think IND-NZ SF will be closer at Mumbai than Eden; while Toss will decide the other SF - SAF won’t chase 170 against Aussies if even Labus & Head bowls 20 overs, while Aussies might struggle to chase 350 if SAF bats first!!!
 
India's adopted team has got some slow spin friendly surfaces. This Ahmedabad pitch played beautifully in all other games.
Even the Delhi game vs England it was very dry
 
Asif321 said:
Afghanistan has played some excellent cricket this WC definitely should have been in semis . Pakistan has been inferior to them this tournament
Click to expand...
To be honest - No. they have definitely played excellent cricket, but don’t deserve more than Kiwis.

Apart from one game against SAF, despite missing regular Captain, they have lost a game by 4 runs chasing 388; another rain curtailed one after scoring 401, and have stressed India the most - it required an unusual good batting performance from Jadeja to pass that. Kiwis could have been sitting on 14 points by now!!!!
 
Ahmed216 said:
India's adopted team has got some slow spin friendly surfaces. This Ahmedabad pitch played beautifully in all other games.
Even the Delhi game vs England it was very dry
Click to expand...
This pitch had prodigiuos bounce that South Africa fully exploited. They had more purchase than Afghanistan.
 
Ahmed216 said:
India's adopted team has got some slow spin friendly surfaces. This Ahmedabad pitch played beautifully in all other games.
Even the Delhi game vs England it was very dry
Click to expand...
That’s so true - AFGs have played every game on their ideal surface. In fact first game, on that wicket the amount of turn BD spinners got …!!! But they did play well also.
 
MMHS said:
That’s so true - AFGs have played every game on their ideal surface. In fact first game, on that wicket the amount of turn BD spinners got …!!! But they did play well also.
Click to expand...
You can't say that when their seamers ran through Australia. Their spinners are not just spinners. Guys like Mujeeb also swings the ball. They are simply more skilled to bowl well on most surfaces.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
This pitch had prodigiuos bounce that South Africa fully exploited. They had more purchase than Afghanistan.
Click to expand...
Did not watch the first innings. Watching for last 50 minutes and honestly I haven't seen this much help for spinners so far at this venue
 
Ahmed216 said:
Did not watch the first innings. Watching for last 50 minutes and honestly I haven't seen this much help for spinners so far at this venue
Click to expand...

They are more skilled. Let us admit it. They have the best spin bowling unit in the world unless India fields like Jadeja, Kuldeep, Ashwin, Chahal or Bishnoi together. Each one is different. They all have a mystery about them.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
They are more skilled. Let us admit it. They have the best spin bowling unit in the world unless India fields like Jadeja, Kuldeep, Ashwin, Chahal or Bishnoi together. Each one is different. They all have a mystery about them.
Click to expand...
Didn't Maxwell hammer them and Cummins negotiate them easily in Mumbai?? Mumbai was flat.
Let's admit that all spinners need slight help from the surface. Conventional or mystery
 
I am not an SA fan. But when i put myself in the shoes of an SA fan i am getting nervous even now.
 
Ahmed216 said:
Didn't Maxwell hammer them and Cummins negotiate them easily in Mumbai?? Mumbai was flat.
Let's admit that all spinners need slight help from the surface. Conventional or mystery
Click to expand...
He was dropped twice. Let us not forget that. After 25 overs every bowler will travel. NOt their problem. Also captaincy was poor.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
You can't say that when their seamers ran through Australia. Their spinners are not just spinners. Guys like Mujeeb also swings the ball. They are simply more skilled to bowl well on most surfaces.
Click to expand...
That was only one game which I was going to mention….. even then, if it were a typical Wenkhede wicket, batting first no way AFGs putting 292 against tall Aussie pacers, that too only 5 down.
 
MMHS said:
That was only one game which I was going to mention….. even then, if it were a typical Wenkhede wicket, batting first no way AFGs putting 292 against tall Aussie pacers, that too only 5 down.
Click to expand...

Not true. Among all the asian sides after India, Afghans have the best batsmen against short ball. Guys like Gurbaaz pulls exceptionally well.
 
Afghan made some tactical errors. And scores of fielding errors. That is where they fell apart. Otherwise they have a lot of match winners
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Not true. Among all the asian sides after India, Afghans have the best batsmen against short ball. Guys like Gurbaaz pulls exceptionally well.
Click to expand...
He isn’t to be honest - in good form now, playing well in this WC. But, he didn’t last long there, so that point doesn’t work. Ball did seem in twilight zone, but it spun as well - without Maxwell’s drop, Aussies would have lost by 150 margin.
 
Afg is one of those teams that is actually mediocre but pushes above their limits. It's a team that can overachieve relative to what is expected of them.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Afghan made some tactical errors. And scores of fielding errors. That is where they fell apart. Otherwise they have a lot of match winners
Click to expand...
I think we'll get a better idea once they play on pitches that are not so friendly for spinners. 2015 and 2019 WC they hardly won a game.
Let's see how they progress after this tournament. Hopefully they get to play against top sides a lot more
 
AFG has been problematic for all big teams except a certain one. Almost like that one team knows all the strategy, Maybe they themselves are the teachers.
 
surprisingly, RvD batted very well today - not the best player of spin, but target wasn’t stiff enough for him to go after from start, took his time.
 
Ahmed216 said:
I think we'll get a better idea once they play on pitches that are not so friendly for spinners. 2015 and 2019 WC they hardly won a game.
Let's see how they progress after this tournament. Hopefully they get to play against top sides a lot more
Click to expand...
Their pace attack will have to evolve in such places. 2019 wc was a joke. Even very good spinners travelled. They deliberately designed pitches with very short side boundaries and nothing in it for spinners. Afghanistan has come a long way since 2015. I think they will do better next time.
 
Wonderful tournament. They had win predictability of 96% against Australia ! So they gave most teams a run for money almost.
 
Good win by SA. Confidence in chasing going up with two chasing wins this tournament. Bring on the Aussies semi. SA owns Aus in ODI’s.
 
Guys like QDK, Miller, Klassen was smashing BD "spinners" into outer space. However, as soon as they face some quality spin they seem to crumble under pressure.
 
jnaveen1980 said:
Wonderful tournament. They had win predictability of 96% against Australia ! So they gave most teams a run for money almost.
Click to expand...
Still it will be remembered for being the mother of all chokes.


Great tournament by their standards. They won only once in icc cwc before, this time they beat two world cup winners and current world champs.
 
BDfanforever said:
Guys like QDK, Miller, Klassen was smashing BD "spinners" into outer space. However, as soon as they face some quality spin they seem to crumble under pressure.
Click to expand...
Different venue, different pitch. Mumbai pitch ultra batting and SA batting first has been deadly whole tournament. BD spinners are rubbish anyway except Shakib, Miraz is a test bowler. Shakh Mahedi better LOI wicket taking bowler. SA will struggle batting 2nd against decent spinners.
 
The end of a great tournament for Afghanistan, they have exceeded everyones expectations. Just not enough runs to play with today.

Despite the win for SA they still look timid in a chase, which will be a big worry in the KOs. A little bit of a selection dilemma now too as to who to drop for jansen as phehlukwayo has done well.
 
Rassie van der Dussen's fighting knock helped South Africa overcome the Afghanistan challenge in Ahmedabad at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

The second innings of the game was fiercely contested between the Afghanistan bowlers and the South Africa batters, with the latter coming out on top at the very end.

Rassie van der Dussen (76*) starred for South Africa with a splendid innings, whereas old hands Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi were the stars for Afghanistan.

In the first innings, Azmatullah Omarzai's fighting 97* helped Afghanistan finish strongly after South Africa had dominated for the majority of the innings.

Gerald Coetzee (4/44) and Keshav Maharaj (2/25) shined for the Proteas.

With this defeat, Afghanistan bow out of the World Cup.

Match 42: South Africa won the game by five wickets against Afghanistan

The South Africa openers were among the runs from the very beginning. Quinton de Kock was particularly aggressive, hitting two fours and three sixes in the first Powerplay. Temba Bavuma experienced some issues with his hamstring but managed to stick around at the crease.

Afghanistan struck back early in the second Powerplay. Bavuma fell while trying to clear Mujeeb Ur Rahman past deep mid-wicket. Then in the 14th over, Mohammad Nabi trapped Quinton de Kock leg before wicket. While the on-field umpire didn't agree with that call, Afghanistan succeeded in getting a wicket after a review.

Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram then took South Africa ahead with a steady stand. The duo hit a number of confident shots, even as the Proteas improved their scoring rate. However, Rashid's special spell got two important breakthroughs for his team.

He got rid of Markram (25) in the 24th over. The batter ended up pulling a catch towards the covers. A few overs later, the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen was cleaned up.

The set van der Dussen got decent support from David Miller, as the duo batted out the next few anxious deliveries, and then got back into the groove once more. Their stand helped blunt the impact of Afghanistan tweakers, even as the Proteas gradually moved towards their target.

However, Afghanistan got a timely breakthrough in the 38th over when Miller (24) pushed one back to Nabi. The Afghanistan spinners were able to stifle the scoring rate, and the South Africa chase depended predominantly on van der Dussen's stay at the crease.

The batter managed to stave off the spin challenge, and along with Phehlukwayo (39*) helped South Africa to a five-wicket win.

Afghanistan openers backed the call of their skipper with yet another steady start. While there were a few close calls, including a tough chance that Keshav Maharaj spilled in the covers, Afghanistan ensured that the scoring rate was healthy.

But it was Maharaj who eventually brought the Proteas their first breakthrough. Off his very first ball, he induced a thin edge off the willow of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (25) which was snapped by Heinrich Klaasen at the first slip.

Off the very next over, Gerald Coetzee snared the previous match's centurion, Ibrahim Zadran, for 15. He got Ibrahim to nick one behind the wicket. From 41/0 at the end of eight overs, Afghanistan had lost two without scoring a run over the next twelve balls.

Wickets continued to tumble as Maharaj struck in his second over as well, this time taking care of Hashmatullah Shahidi. The batter edging to Quinton de Kock, and soon Afghanistan were three down for not too many.

Afghanistan No. 3 Rahmat Shah and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai then joined hands to stabilise the innings. Only two boundaries were hit in the 11-20 over mark, but Afghanistan proceeded without any further losses.

Just when the duo was picking pace, Rahmat fell to a brilliant catch at backward point by David Miller. He hit straight to the fielder, and Miller couldn't quite get to the ball initially. The fielder juggled and struggled with the ball, before eventually holding on.

Rahmat’s wicket brought the Proteas back into the game, and the pacers ran through the Afghanistan middle-order. Ikram Alikhil tried to lift the scoring pace with his attacking intent, but was soon sent back after he nicked one off Coetzee.

In the very next over, Lungi Ngidi picked his second breakthrough, getting Mohammad Nabi to edge one behind the wicket.

Azmatullah then took charge and helped Afghanistan move ahead. He reached a patient half-century in the 37th over. From 116/6, he added 44 runs for the seventh wicket with Rashid Khan (14). And after Rashid fell, he continued fighting with the positive Noor Ahmad (26).

With the Afghanistan tail, Azmatullah added 71 runs in the final powerplay, even as the South Africa bowlers erred in their lines and lengths.

Hashmatullah Shahidi called it right at the toss and elected to bat first. His reasoning centered around the belief that the wicket would probably turn later in the day.

On the other hand, Temba Bavuma believed that the pitch might skid under the lights.

Afghanistan were unchanged, whereas South Africa brought in Gerald Coetzee and Andile Phelukwayo even as Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen were rested.

Source: ICC
 
Afghanistan has definately made a case for getting more Tests, ODI's. Pakistan should invite them to play a 3 test series, 5 ODI's and 5 T-20 games in Pakistan.
 
South Africa is not the same team when chasing a total. Batting struggles during run chases. Not a convincing display with the bat today. All their chases have been laboured affairs in this World Cup.

Australia would have surely taken note. They will surely bat first if they win the toss against South Africa in the semifinal
 
AZulfi said:
South Africa is not the same team when chasing a total. Batting struggles during run chases. Not a convincing display with the bat today. All their chases have been laboured affairs in this World Cup.

Australia would have surely taken note. They will surely bat first if they win the toss against South Africa in the semifinal
Click to expand...

It requires tempo change something they are unable to adapt. When they bat first they are able to go at a specific tempo> Even that will be challenged on a difficult surface. In a slightly swinging conditions in a T20 game against Deepak Chahar and Arshdeep singh , Full strength SA was reduced to 9/5.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Afghanistan announces ICC T20 World Cup 2024 squad
Replies
20
Views
903
GillEdits
G
C
  • Locked
South Africa vs Pakistan | 2nd ODI | Cape Town | December 19 | Pre-Match Discussion
Replies
41
Views
592
lucky_fish
L
C
  • Locked
South Africa vs Pakistan | 3rd ODI | Johannesburg | December 22 | Pre-Match Discussion
Replies
59
Views
1K
moghul
M
The Bald Eagle
  • Locked
  • Poll
South Africa vs Pakistan | 1st ODI | Paarl | December 17 | Pre-Match Discussion
Replies
76
Views
1K
shamaan
S
BouncerGuy
South Africa tour of UAE 2024 (white-ball series against Afghanistan and Ireland)
Replies
71
Views
1K
Cricket Warrior
C
Back
Top