NEWS
Follow UsHosts Afghanistan pulverised the South African batting order in the first ODI of the three-match series in Sharjah, reducing South Africa to 36/7 at the end of 10 overs, their worst-ever start in ODI history.
Prior to today's clash, South Africa had never lost a wicket in the powerplay against Afghanistan (57/0 and 35/0). But, on September 18 (Wednesday), they suffered their worst fate - 36/7 - the lowest powerplay score in their ODI history.
Batting first after winning the toss, the Proteas crumbled against rookie mystery spinner Allah Ghazanfar, who took three wickets along with Fazalhaq Farooqi, who began the onslaught for Afghanistan. Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, and Tony de Zorzi were all packed up by Farooqi’s left-arm pace, with Hendricks and Markram getting clean bowled.
South Africa were 29/3 when Ghazanfar dismissed the dangerous Tristan Stubbs for a duck by getting his outside edge and Mohammad Nabi did the rest with a simple catch.
The Proteas batters had little clue about the direction of turn on the mystery spinner’s deliveries, with Kyle Verreynne and Jason Smith's departure emphasising that. South Africa lost their seventh wicket in the most comical of fashions when Andile Phehlukwayo was run out after the ball hit his thigh pads. Gulbadin Naib showed brilliant presence of mind to run him out at the striker’s end.
36/7 was the best Afghanistan have ever bowled in the first 10 overs of an ODI innings, bettering 38/7 against Zimbabwe at Harare in 2017.
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