AFG vs SA 1st ODI Results

5:44 PM IST Right then, that's it from the coverage of this game. Afghanistan have taken a 1-0 lead in this series. These two teams will meet again on 20th September for the second ODI. South Africa have their task cut out, they will come into this fixture to level the series, although it is going to be very difficult against a solid Afghanistan unit. The first ball will be at 12 pm GMT, but you can surely join us early for the build-up. ADIOS!

5:43 PM IST FAZALHAQ FAROOQI WINS THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH AWARD.

5:37 PM IST Hashmatullah Shahidi, the winning skipper says that the team is looking forward to winning this series and is fully prepared to take on the challenges that lie ahead in the upcoming two games. They are determined to give their best effort to secure victory in this ODI series.

5:36 PM IST Aiden Markram, the captain of South Africa is in for a chat. He says that there are a lot of honest learnings to take away from this game and they failed under pressure. Mentions that there will be defined game plans for the next match and as long as they can execute them better, they should win it.

5:18 PM IST Stay tuned for the presentation....

5:15 PM IST The defining moment came when Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib stepped up under pressure, holding their nerves to guide Afghanistan to a historic victory. This win not only marked their first-ever ODI triumph against South Africa but also highlighted their growing stature in the world of cricket. South Africa started well with the ball in hand, thanks to the early breakthrough from Lungi Ngidi. Bjorn Fortuin stood out with his two wickets, but they weren't enough to deny Afghanistan this victory, which helped them to take a lead in this series.

5:14 PM IST In reply, Afghanistan faced immediate pressure as they lost opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz without a run on the board. Riaz Hassan and Rahmat Shah took their time, slowly building a platform, but Rahmat's stay at the crease was short-lived. Hassan, though, found support in captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, and together they began to stabilize the innings, inching their way back into the contest.

5:14 PM IST Afghanistan, having lost the toss, put on a masterclass with the ball in hand, ripping through South Africa’s top order. In a sensational display of bowling, they claimed seven wickets in the first ten overs, reducing the Proteas to a mere 36 runs. It was Fazalhaq Farooqi and AM Ghazanfar who set the tone for Afghanistan with the ball in hand. Wiaan Mulder, however, stood tall amidst the chaos, showcasing his all-round abilities. His fighting knock of 52 – his highest in ODIs – was instrumental in lifting South Africa to a modest total of 106.

5:13 PM IST The 250th ODI match in Sharjah is quite a memorable one for Afghanistan as they make history by getting the better of South Africa for the first time ever in this format. South Africa started well with the ball in hand, but could not really keep the batters under constant pressure.