The Proteas completed a dominant 107-run victory against Afghanistan in their opening Champions Trophy clash.
The Proteas were solid with the bat after opting to bat first. A collective effort saw them post a target of 316 for Afghanistan to chase.
The top order were excellent all around, with everyone except Tony de Zorzi, chipping in with a milestone.
De Zorzi lost his wicket for 11, reducing SA to 28-1 after 5.1 overs.
Ryan Rickelton and Temba Bavuma set the Proteas’ recovery in motion with the highest partnership of the match. The pair scored 129 off 142 balls before the latter lost his wicket.
Bavuma scored 58 off 76 balls before he looped the ball to deep midwicket. SA were reduced to 157-2 after 28.5 overs.
Rickelton was the next wicket to fall, but managed to bring up a maiden century before being run out after taking SA past 200.
The wicket-keeper batter continued his fine form across formats, hitting 7 fours and a six for his 103 off 106 balls. He danced down the wicket and flicked the ball back to the bowler, who threw the ball back to the keeper to take off the bails. Rickelton was unlucky to be dismissed, the replay showing his bat in the air as he dived to make his ground.
Rassie van der Dussen helped SA reach 248, before losing his wicket, contributing 52 off 46 balls (3 fours, 2 sixes).
Despite losing partners around him, Aiden Markram was superb at the backend, scoring a 36-ball 52 (6 fours and a six) to take SA to a strong total.
Miller scored 14 and Mulder scored 12 as the Proteas posted 315-6 in their 50 overs.
South Africa’s bowling backed up their batting.
They reduced Afghanistan to 38-2 after 9.4 overs.
In the 4th over, Ngidi got the first wicket with a short ball which came off the top of Gurbaz’s bat and flew to short fine leg.
Rabada got the second wicket in the 10th over with a beautiful delivery that crashed into Ibrahim Zadran’s middle stump. This came the delivery after he hit KG for six over long-on.
At the end of the 14th over, Afghanistan suffered an unnecessary run out when the batters tried to capitalize on a misfield from Rabada off his own delivery, Marco Jansen getting the direct hit running in from mid on.
Three balls later, Hashmatullah Shahidi hit Mulder straight to Bavuma at mid-on.
Afghanistan were now 50-4 after 14.4 overs.
Rabada got his second at the end of the 23rd over, Azmatullah Omarzai strangled down leg and edging to the keeper on 18. AFG were now 90-5.
At the end of the 29th over, Marco Jansen dismissed Mohammad Nabi to reduce Afghanistan to 120-6.
Wickets continued to fall, Gulbadin Naib, losing his wicket in the 35th over to Ngidi.
Maharaj picked up Rashid for 18, Mulder bowled Noor Ahmad and Rabada took the final wicket to skittle Afghanistan for 208.
Rabada finished with the best figures on the day of 3-36.
South Africa won the match by 107 runs.
