Markram 69 helps South Africa sign off with big win

South Africa secured victory by 7 wickets, finishing the match with 102 balls to spare.

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With Rashid and Farooqi missing from the lineup, Afghanistan's bowling attack lacked some aggression. However, they faced challenges due to the previous batting mistakes.

Aiden Markram paved the path with a solid score of 69 not out. • ACB

South Africa scored 170 runs for the loss of 3 wickets, with Markram remaining not out at 69 and Stubbs contributing 26 runs. They successfully chased down Afghanistan's total of 169, where Gurbaz was the standout performer with 89 runs, and Ghazanfar added 31. Phehlukwayo was effective with the ball, taking 2 wickets for just 17 runs. South Africa won the match by seven wickets.

South Africa secured a satisfying victory to conclude their three-match series against Afghanistan with a 2-1 result, marking their ninth successful run chase in 22 matches since 2021. After struggling in the first two games, South Africa found their footing, thanks to their bowlers and fielders who dismissed Afghanistan in just 34 overs, presenting their batters with a modest target to achieve.

Aiden Markram achieved his first fifty in one-day internationals after 10 innings and partnered with Tristan Stubbs for a solid 90-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Although Stubbs has only played four ODIs so far, this experience was crucial for him as he managed to stick around at the crease and help secure the victory.

With Rashid Khan sidelined due to a hamstring strain from the second match and Fazalhaq Faooqi resting, Afghanistan's bowling attack lacked some of its usual aggression. Additionally, they faced challenges after their batting lineup struggled. Rahmanullah Gurbaz stood out as the only batsman in Afghanistan's top eight to score over 10 runs, once again stabilizing the innings. He fell just 11 runs short of achieving a consecutive ODI century and continues to lead the run-scorers chart in this series. AM Ghazanfar, who came in at No. 9, made a quick contribution of 31 runs off 15 balls, helping set South Africa a target of 170 runs, which they reached in 33 overs.

South Africa's energy was fueled by an effective new-ball pairing of Lungi Ngidi and Bjorn Fortuin, along with their strong fielding. Three of the first five wickets for Afghanistan fell due to run-outs, giving South Africa the advantage they had missed in their last two games.

Ngidi delivered a fantastic performance at the start, showcasing a variety of cutters and slower balls. He achieved an early strike when the debutant opener, Abdul Malik, failed to judge a straight delivery and was trapped in front of the wickets. However, Ngidi's most crucial moment came in his following over. When Gurbaz attempted an aerial drive, Ngidi instinctively reached out with his right hand, causing the ball to deflect off his finger, hit Rahmat Shah, and then ricochet onto the stumps. Rahmat, who was at the non-striker's end, couldn't make it back in time.

Although Rahmat was slow to return, Hashmatullah Shahidi showed even less urgency. He played a shot to Markam behind square and called for two runs but didn't sprint for the second, running off course, which allowed Stubbs enough time in the field to throw to Kyle Verreynne and get the Afghanistan captain out. The situation deteriorated further in the next over when legspinner Nqaba Peter knocked over Azmatullah Omarzai's wickets.

At that point, Gurbaz had scored a quickfire 50 off 47 balls, showcasing his usual powerful hitting both straight and to the leg side. He managed the pressure of losing wickets by sticking to his regular batting style, though he was getting annoyed with his partner's errors. Ikram Alikhil was the next to make a mistake when he misread Gurbaz's bottom-edge pull shot off Markram, which went to midwicket, leaving no opportunity for a run. Alikhil had already advanced halfway down the pitch when Gurbaz sent him back, but Temba Bavuma quickly grabbed the ball and ran him out.

Mohammad Nabi was the final acknowledged batsman for Afghanistan, and South Africa managed to keep him silent at the crease. He should have been dismissed for just 5 runs after he failed to connect with a delivery from Bjorn Fortuin. Though South Africa chose not to challenge the decision, replays indicated that he would have been given out leg before wicket. In Fortuin's subsequent over, he took his revenge when Nabi edged the ball, allowing Verreynne to make the catch. Bavuma then opted for a successful review.

Gurbaz's quest for a century came to an end when he attempted to drive Andile Phehlukwayo over extra cover and was excellently caught by Reeza Hendricks, who dove forward. This left Afghanistan at 133 for 7. Phehlukwayo quickly bagged a second wicket in his next three deliveries, and Ngidi along with Peter wrapped up the lower order. Afghanistan will be frustrated to have squandered 16 overs, especially after their strong performances earlier in the week.

South Africa's batting has been a significant issue for them throughout the series. While there have been some improvements, their performance hasn't always been convincing. Initially, Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi were cautious against left-arm bowler Naveed Zadran, with Bavuma nearly getting out in the third over. However, once they figured out the 19-year-old bowler, they made the most of the opportunity. De Zorzi launched a shot past mid-off for the first boundary of the innings, and Bavuma followed suit by pulling Zadran's next delivery through mid-wicket. He also showed confidence against Ghazanfar, indicating that South Africa had worked on how to face spin bowling this time. However, de Zorzi's performance highlighted some lingering issues. He attempted a sweep shot off Nabi that went straight to Hashmatullah at square leg, who dropped the catch, and then the very next ball went to cover, where Omarzai also failed to hold onto it.

In the following over, Bavuma misjudged Ghazanfar's delivery and got bowled. The next over, de Zorzi almost gave Ghazanfar a chance to take a catch, but the ball bounced just short of him. Just when it looked like de Zorzi was incredibly lucky, he misread a delivery from Nabi and was struck LBW.

Reeza Hendricks' struggles persisted as he got a top edge off Fareed Ahmad, marking his third low score in this series with less than 20 runs. In his last 15 white-ball international matches, Hendricks has managed to exceed 20 runs just three times.

Markram took it upon himself to lead the team's chase, offering valuable advice to Stubbs along the way. Initially, they cautiously built their partnership, minimizing risks while choosing the right moments to be more aggressive. Markram hit the first boundary within the first 10 overs, executing a slog sweep off Nangeyalia Kharote followed by a drive through the covers. After that, they focused on accumulating singles until Stubbs found the gap and pulled Fareed to the boundary. Markram showcased his attacking style against spin, hitting Nabi for two sixes in one over. He reached his half-century off 54 balls and remained unbeaten with 69 runs off 67 deliveries. Stubbs successfully challenged an lbw decision against Fareed when he had just 18 runs, helping steer South Africa to a successful finish.

Firdose Moonda serves as the South Africa correspondent for ESPNcricinfo, focusing on both men's and women's cricket.

South Africa triumphed by 7 wickets, finishing the match with 102 balls to spare.

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