CWC 2023. Match number 42, South Africa VS Afghanistan Played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Gujrat, India on 10 November 2023
Afghanistan 244 All Out in 50 Overs (Azmatullah Omarzai 97*, Noor Ahmed 26, Rahmat Shah 26, Gerald Coetzee 4/44, Keshav Maharaj 2/27, Lungi Ngidi /69) 
South Africa 247 /5 in 47.3 Overs (Rassie van der Dussen 76*, Quinton de Kock 41, Andie Phehlukwayo 39*, Aiden Markram 25, David Miller 24, Mohammad Nabi 2/35, Rashid Khan 2/37) 
South Africa won the Match by 5 wickets with 15 balls to Spare
Player of the Match: Rassie van der Dussen (76*) 

Afghanistan had an outside chance of a gate-crashing entry into the elite group of four if they could manage a big win against South Africa yesterday at Narendra Modi stadium, Ahmedabad. But protean chasing a below par score (244 all out) of Afghanistan eased to its 7th win of the tournament. Afghans did not disgrace and made South Africa toil a bit till 47.3 overs in scoring 247/5. Brave Afghans winning 4 matches of 9 will get back home with heads high. 

Afghanistan chose to bat on a wicket where ball was not coming easy to the bat, gripping, and turning a bit. Flamboyant Afghan openers Ramanullah Gurbaz (25) and Ebrahim Zadran (15) just started looking set when Keshav Maharaj and Gerald Coetzee clipped their wings striking blows. Afghan innings stumbled losing wickets at regular interval till reaching 7/160. Afghan tails wagged a bit with emerging Afghan all rounder Azmatullah Omarzai holding the innings together producing an unbeaten 97. Credits must go to resilient Afghans batting till the last ball of their quota. Gerald Coetzee (4/44) and Keshav Maharaj (2/27) were the standout performers for the protean with the ball.

South Africa proving a bad chaser in this tournament had some hiccups. The middle order rocked a bit after Quinton de Kock (41) and Temba Bavuma (23) gave a reasonably good start of 64 in the first wicket partnership. Rashid Khan (2/37) and Mohammad Nabi (2/35) made protea struggled a bit reducing them to 5/187. But Rassie van der Dussen displaying a good-looking unbeaten innings of 76 and Andie Phehlukwayo (39*) stitching together an unbroken partnership of 60 saw the team home scoring 247/5. South Africa won by 5 wickets. South Africa finished second in the points table ensuring a semifinal berth against Australia. Afghanistan leaves for home with heads high. They have qualified for appearing for the Champions trophy to be played in Pakistan in 2025. 

Two important matches will be held today. First Bangladesh aspiring to finish within 8th plays strong Australia at Pune. Pakistan plays England at Eden Gardens Kolkata with a theoretical but extremely remote possibility of advancing to the semifinal. 

Points Table as on 11 November 2023
 

BDST: 0850 HRS, NOV 11, 2023
SMS