In a historic moment for Afghan cricket, Afghanistan defeated South Africa for the first time in any format, winning the first ODI of their three-match series by six wickets in Sharjah.
South Africa won the toss and chose to bat first but struggled badly, losing five wickets for just 29 runs. The Afghan bowlers dominated the game, with Fazal Haq Farooqi taking four wickets and Ghazanfar claiming three. South Africa was bowled out for only 106 runs in 34 overs.
In response, Afghanistan didn’t start well, losing their opener Rehmanullah Gurbaz without scoring and Rahmat Shah for just eight runs. With the score at 29/4, Gulbuddin Naib made a vital contribution, scoring 34 runs, while Azmatullah Umarzai added 25. Afghanistan chased down the target of 107 runs in just 26 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.
This victory is a significant milestone for Afghanistan, showcasing their growth in international cricket. The team will look to continue this success in the next matches against South Africa.
