Afghanistan scored 244 runs against strong South Africa, almost out of the race for semi-finals

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The Afghanistan team has performed brilliantly in the World Cup 2023. However, the team could not reach the semi-finals. Afghanistan also performed well in its last league match and scored 244 runs while batting first against South Africa.

Young all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai impressed by playing an unbeaten inning of 97 runs, which helped Afghanistan score 244 runs against South Africa in the World Cup match here on Friday. Afghanistan team was limited to 50 overs.

Omarzai continued his good form in the tournament, hitting seven fours and three sixes in 107 balls, although he missed his maiden ODI century and could not score any runs against Kagiso Rabada on the last three balls of the final over at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

The most successful bowler for South Africa was Gerald Coetzee, who took four wickets for 44 runs with one maiden in 10 overs. Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and decided to bat.

After this, the team made a good start but South Africa, which had already reached the semi-finals, took three wickets within four runs and reduced the rival team’s score to 45 runs for three wickets in the 11th over.

It seemed that Shahidi’s decision backfired on him because captain Temba Bavuma used his bowlers very well. But its fast bowler Lungi Ngidi had to leave the field due to ankle problem. He took the wickets of Rahmat Shah and Mohammad Nabi.

Rahmatullah Gurbaz (21 balls, 25 runs) hit a six over long on off Rabada and then he hit a beautiful cover drive shot on the same bowler. Gurbaz hit two fours on Coetzee. Bavuma put Keshav Maharaj on the bowling and this left arm spinner took the big wicket of Gurbaz.

After this wicket, South Africa quickly took two more wickets. There were a lot of expectations from Ibrahim Zadran, who scored a brilliant century against Australia in the last match, but he was out by giving an easy catch to De Kock off the ball of Coetzee. De Kock took a record six catches behind the stumps.

Maharaj then dismissed captain Shahidi on a ball taking extra bounce. Omarzai and Rashid Khan kept the score going by making a partnership of 44 runs for the sixth wicket, due to which the team crossed the 150-run mark.

But this partnership broke due to the dismissal of Rashid (14 runs). Omarzai then made a partnership of 44 runs with Noor Ahmed (26 runs).

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