CWC 2023: Omarzai's 97 lifts Afghanistan to 244 against SA

AHMEDABAD: Young all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai left a lasting impression with an unbeaten 97-run knock, lifting Afghanistan to 244 after a batting collapse in their World Cup match against South Africa here on Friday.

Continuing his good run in the tournament, Omarzai faced 107 balls while hitting seven fours and three sixes. However, he could not record his maiden ODI hundred after failing to score off the last three balls of the final over bowled by Kagiso Rabada.

Gerald Coetzee was the most successful bowler for South Africa, finishing with figures of 4/44 in 10 overs.

Afghanistan were off to a steady start after their skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi opted to bat first, but South Africa meant business as they snared three wickets for four runs to leave their opponents in a spot of bother at 45 for three in the 11th over.

At that point, it seemed like the decision to bat first was backfiring even as Temba Bavuma marshalled his resources well to keep South Africa ahead in the game at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

But even before the Proteas could celebrate the first breakthrough they faced an anxious moment when pacer Lungi Ngidi went off the field after suffering what looked like an ankle or achilles issue.

Ngidi, however, returned to pick the wickets of Rahmat Shah and Mohammad Nabi, who nicked one to Quinton de Kock after facing just three balls, leaving his team at 116 for six in the 28th over.

Having smoked lead pacer Rabada’s length ball outside off for a six over long-on, Rahmanullah Gurbaz found the fence again when he produced a lovely cover driver against the same bowler.

Coetzee was welcomed to the attack with two authoritative boundaries by Gurbaz, who raced to 25 off 21 balls.

Desperately looking for a breakthrough, Bavuma introduced Keshav Maharaj into the attack and the left-arm spinner straightaway responded with the big wicket of Gurbaz, who edged a turning delivery to Heinrich Klaasen at the first slip.

Not only did Maharaj strike with his first ball he also enjoyed a wicket-maiden, giving South Africa a bit of a momentum which they used to their advantage by quickly grabbing two more wickets.

Much was expected of Ibrahim Zadran, who scored a brilliant hundred against Australia in their last game, but the opener was done in by a short ball from Coetzee, the batter giving a catch to De Kock after edging his attempted pull shot. De Kock finished with a record six catches behind the stumps.     

Having started his spell on a fine note, Maharaj struck again, this time removing opposition captain Shahidi, the extra bounce putting the batter in a tricky position as he shaped himself up to play the cut shot.

Omarzai and Rashid Khan kept the scoreboard ticking during a 44-run stand for the sixth wicket, helping their team cross 150 before the latter fell to a soft dismissal.

Omarzai, then, found another able ally in Noor Ahmad who contributed an useful 26 in a 44-run partnership.