Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs guided South Africa to a consolation seven-wicket victory after a much improved bowling and fielding performance which saw Afghanistan dismissed for just 169 after choosing to bat first in the third and final one-day international against South Africa in the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
South Africa finished on 170-3 in 33 overs to concede the series 2-1.
Markram started slowly but accelerated brilliantly to finish with an unbeaten 69 from 67 balls (4x4, 3x6) while Stubbs was justifiably content to remain in second gear as he trudged carefully to 26 not out from 42 deliveries with just one four and one six.
RESULT | SOUTH AFRICA WON BY 7 WICKETS 🚨
— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) September 22, 2024
Not the ideal finish for us, as South Africa claimed the final ODI, but #AfghanAtalan secured the series victory 2-1. 🏆#AfghanAtalan | #AFGvSA | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/lhHX2vWce8
Rahmanullah Gurbaz followed his century in Friday’s 177-run victory which clinched the series 2-0 with a remarkable 89 with next highest score 31 from No 9, Allah Ghazanfar, and 10 from captain Hashmatullah Shahidi.
The Afghan opener looked like he was playing on a different surface to his teammates – and facing different bowlers – requiring just 94 deliveries to score his 89 which included seven fours and four slog-swept sixes before he sliced Andile Phehlukwayo (4-0-17-2) to Reeza Hendricks on the cover boundary as he feared running out of partners.
Fellow opener and debutant, Abdul Malik, was trapped lbw by one of many Lungi Ngidi (6-1-22-2) slower balls but No 3, Rahmat Shah (1), was desperately unlucky when a Gurbaz drive deflected of Ngidi’s outstretched hand, onto the non-striker’s chest and then the stumps to run him out.
Markram and Stubbs put together a solid partnership as the @ProteasMenCSA win the third and final ODI against Afghanistan ✅🇿🇦#WozaNawe | #BePartOfIt
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) September 22, 2024
No luck was required in Shahidi’s run out with Tristan Stubbs firing a powerful throw to Kyle Verreynne right next to the stumps to catch him centimetres short attempting a second run.
Legspinner Nqaba Peter (5-0-22-2) ripped a delivery past Azmatullah Omarzai (2) to bowl him and wicketkeeper Ikram Alikhil (4) when Temba Bavuma scored a direct hit at the non-striker’s end when backing up a throw at the striker’s end.
Veteran Mohammad Nabi was given a life on five when Bavuma refused to call for an lbw review despite Verreynne’s concerted attempts to persuade him – TV replays confirmed he would have been plumb lbw to Bjorn Fortuin – but it didn’t matter as Fortuin had him caught behind a few balls later.
Phelukwayo followed the wicket of Gurbaz by clean bowling Nangeyalia Kharote three balls later to leave the innings in tatters at 133-8.
But 19-year-old Ghazanfar hammered an unbeaten 31 from just 15 balls with two fours and three sixes to give Afghanistan and outside chance of a clean-sweep.
South Africa enjoyed some fortune in the run chase with Tony de Zorzi (26) dropped twice before before being trapped lbw by Nabi after Bavuma (22) was bowled by Ghazanfar. When Hendricks (18) top-edged a pull to end another painfully out-of-form innings, South Africa were 80-3 and the game was ‘on’.
But Markram and Stubbs eschewed most of their attacking options to ensure the victory.
AFGHANISTAN: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Abdul Malik, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wkt), Mohammad Nabi, Nangeyalia Kharote, Allah Ghazanfar, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Naveed Zadran
SOUTH AFRICA: Temba Bavuma (captain), Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Wiaan Mulder, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bjorn Fortuin, Nqaba Peter, Lungi Ngidi
