World Cup 2019: South Africa defeat Afghanistan to register their first win of the tournament

South Africa defeated Afghanistan by 9 wickets to register their first win of ICC World Cup 2019, played at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.

South African captain Faf du Plessis won the toss and decided to field first. Hazratullah Zazai and Noor Ali Zadran got the team off to a good start; the openers were steady before rain arrived at the score of 33 for 0 in 5.5 overs. After the rain break, the match was reduced to 48 overs a side.

Kagiso Rabada got the breakthrough for South Africa, sending Zazai back for 22. Zazai and Zadran had added 39 runs for opening wicket, and at the end of 10 overs Afghanistan were 43 for 1.

After the power play overs, the South African bowlers kept the pressure on the Afghanistan batting lineup. From 56 for 2, they reduced them to 77 for 7. Imran Tahir was simply sensational, taking the wickets of Noor Ali Zadran, Asghar Afghan and Gulbadin Naib.

Rashid Khan played some lovely strokes, scoring 35 off 25 balls, but South Africa bowled Afghanistan out fir a paltry total of 125 in 34.1 overs.

Chasing the revised target of 127 in 48 overs, Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla got off to a cautious start. But De Kock eventually turned up the aggression levels, and at the end of 10 overs South Africa were 35 for 0.

After the power play overs, De Kock continued playing with positive intent while Amla struggled to time the ball. De Kock reached his fifty off 58 balls, before Naib dismissed him for 68 off 72 balls. De Kock and Amla had added 104 runs for the opening wicket.

Andile Phehlukawyo scored the winning runs, and Amla remained not out on 41. South Africa registered the first win of World Cup 2019 by 9 wickets with 116 balls to spare.

Brief scores: South Africa 131 for 1 in 28.4 overs (Quinton de Kock 68, Hashim Amla 41*, Gulbadin Naib 1/29) beat Afghanistan 125 in 34.1 overs (Rashid Khan 35, Imran Tahir 4/29, Chris Morris 3/12) by 9 wickets via DLS method

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