AFG vs SA, 3rd ODI LIVE© AFP

Afg vs SA 3rd ODI Live Streaming: When And Where To Watch© X (Twitter)

File image of Rahmanullah Gurbaz.© AFP

Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit a superb century before leg-spin magician Rashid Khan marked his 26th birthday by taking five wickets as Afghanistan thrashed South Africa by 177 runs in the second ODI on Friday. Gurbaz hit 105 as Afghanistan made 311-4 before the Proteas lost nine wickets for 61 runs to be bowled out for just 134 in the 35th over. It was the seventh century in the 22-year-old’s Gurbaz’s ODI career and included 10 fours and three sixes. 

“I had a hamstring injury but I try my best to stay on the ground and do my best for the team,” said man-of-the-match Rashid after taking 5-19. 

“It was a great opportunity for us to win the series against a big team, so I had to stay till the end.”

Two days after winning the first ODI by six wickets, Afghanistan made a bright start as the openers capitalised on winning the toss. 

Gurbaz and Riaz Hassan added 88 for the first wicket before Aiden Markram had Hassan leg before for 29. 

That brought in Rahmat Shah (50) who shared a 101-run partnership with Gurbaz before the opener fell shortly after reaching his milestone, bowled by Nandre Burger for 105. 

The innings slowed with that dismissal although Azmatullah Omarzai hit the accelerator with a rapid, undefeated 50-ball 86 which included six sixes, to ensure an awkward chase for the Proteas.

In reply, South Africa’s openers, skipper Temba Bavuma, who top-scored with 38, and Tony de Zorzi (31) put on 73 for the first wicket.

But once they had departed, the Proteas fell apart.

Leg-spin star Rashid took 5-19 from nine overs and was ably supported by rookie off-spinner Nangeyalia Kharote who enjoyed figures of 4-26 in just just his third ODI appearance.

“I think the job for openers is to lay the foundation but wickets started falling and we came unstuck against spin,” said Bavuma.

“It was not a good enough performance. We were not able to take ten wickets and that’s a conversation we need to have. They were a lot better than us clinically.”

Rashid’s haul took his career total to 190 wickets in the format.

He dismissed middle-order dangermen Tristan Stubbs (five), Kyle Verreynne (two) and Wiaan Mulder (two) for the addition of just eight runs in back-to-back overs.

With the series wrapped up, Afghanistan will look to complete a whitewash in the third and final match in Sharjah on Sunday.

India’s Jasprit Bumrah and Rohit Sharma. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

Hero of India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign, Jasprit Bumrah added another feather to his hat when he was on Tuesday named the ‘ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June’.

It was double delight for India as women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was also named the ‘Women’s Player of the Month’ by the global body. Mandhana won her first ICC Women’s Player of the Month after playing a starring role in India’s sweep over South Africa in the ODI series last month.

Bumrah came out on top in the men’s vote from compatriot Rohit Sharma and Rahmanullah Gurbaz of Afghanistan, while Mandhana won the women’s award by overcoming England’s Maia Bouchier and Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne.

Bumrah, who bagged 15 wickets to be adjudged the Player-of-the-Tournament in the T20 global showpiece last month, also claimed the Men’s Player of the Month accolade for June, the ICC announced.

“I am delighted to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June,” Bumrah said in the ICC statement.

“It’s a special honour for me following a memorable few weeks spent in the USA and West Indies. We have had a lot to celebrate as a team, and I’m delighted to be able to add this personal accolade to the list.” The 30-year-old was at his dependable best in the USA and Caribbean and bowled at an average of 8.26, at an astonishing economy rate of 4.17.

He joined Virat Kohli (a two-time winner in his own right) as India players to claim the Men’s T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament award.

India were the first team to win the men’s T20 World Cup without losing a game all tournament.

Barring a washout against Canada in the first round, the Rohit Sharma-led India went on to win all eight matches they played in the tournament.

“To perform as well as we did at the tournament and lift the trophy at the end is incredibly special, and I will carry those memories with me forever,” Bumrah said.

“I wish to congratulate my captain Rohit Sharma and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for their excellent performances in the same period, and I am humbled to have been chosen as the winner.” In the women’s game, Mandhana set the tone with a commanding 117 in the first outing in Bengaluru. Despite an early stutter by the hosts in which they fell to 99 for five, Mandhana remained resolute, and benefitted from some lower order resistance to guide India to a formidable score of 265 from their 50 overs, which proved far beyond the Proteas.

Mandhana went one better in the second match, hitting her second successive century and top scoring in a game that saw 646 runs in total. The opener blitzed the South African bowling attack, smashing 136 in 120 balls and in tandem with her captain Harmanpreet Kaur, posted just enough to see off the resurgent visitors.

She came close to sealing a hat-trick of hundreds in the final outing, falling agonizingly on 90 in a stylish effort that ensured India recorded a comfortable victory to close out the series.

During the period, Mandhana recorded 343 runs at an average of 114.33, with a strike rate of over 100, earning her the Player of the Series award.

“I’m really glad to have won the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for June. I’m really happy with the way the team has performed and I’m happy to have contributed.

For us, we won the ODI and the Test series and hopefully we can continue our form and I can further contribute to win more matches for India,” Mandhana said.

Semi-Final 1 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024 will be played between South Africa and Afghanistan (SA vs AFG). The match will be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday (IST). In the last match played by South Africa, they beat West Indies by three wickets (DLS method). The top fantasy player for South Africa was Tabraiz Shamsi who scored 85 fantasy points. In Afghanistan’s last match in the tournament, they beat Bangladesh by eight runs (DLS method). The top fantasy player for Afghanistan was Rashid Khan who scored 157 fantasy points.

Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

The pitch at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago is balanced. The average 1st innings score at this venue in the last 20 matches is 117 runs. The team winning the toss should look to bowl first as the majority of the games played on this ground have been won by the chasing side.

Pace or Spin?

The venue is suited for both Pacers and Spinners alike.

Weather Report

Temperature will hover around 23.56 degree C and humidity is expected to be around 91%. Winds at a speed of 1.89 m/s are expected.

Head-to-Head

In the two matches played between these two teams, South Africa has won all their matches. Protea wicket-keepers have earned the most fantasy points for their team, while all-rounders have earned the most fantasy points for Afghanistan.

Fantasy Top Captain and Vice-Captain Picks

Fazalhaq Farooqi

Fazalhaq Farooqi is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 61 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 9.3. Farooqi has picked up 16 wickets in the recent seven matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.38.

Quinton de Kock

Quinton de Kock can be a good pick for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 48 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 7.8. The left-handed opener has scored 199 runs in the recent seven matches at a strike rate of 148.50.

Naveen-ul-Haq

Naveen-ul-Haq can be a good pick for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 60 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 9. The right-arm medium pacer has taken 13 wickets in the recent seven matches at an excellent economy rate of 6.12.

Tristan Stubbs

Tristan Stubbs is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 41 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 7.7. The explosive right-handed batter has scored 134 runs in the recent seven matches at an average of 33.50.

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is a spin bowler with an average of 75 match fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 8.2 and is a fairly consistent player in terms of fantasy points. The leg-break bowler has scalped 14 wickets in the recent seven matches at an economy rate of 6.10.

SA vs AFG Possible Playing XI

South Africa (SA) Possible Playing XI: Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Keshav Maharaj and Marco Jansen

Afghanistan (AFG) Possible Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Nangeyalia Kharote, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi

SA vs AFG Fantasy Team

Wicket-Keeper: Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Quinton de Kock

Batters: Ibrahim Zadran and Tristan Stubbs

All-Rounders: Marco Jansen, Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Nabi

Bowlers: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan and Keshav Maharaj

Captain: Fazalhaq Farooqi

Vice-Captain: Quinton de Kock

South Africa will take on Afghanistan in the Semi-Final 1 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday. South Africa comes into this match with momentum, having defeated West Indies by three wickets (DLS method). Tabraiz Shamsi was the standout performer for South Africa, amassing 85 fantasy points. On the other hand, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by eight runs (DLS method) to qualify for the T20 World Cup Semi-Final for the first time. Rashid Khan was the top fantasy performer for Afghanistan, scoring 157 points.

Head-to-Head

Historically, South Africa have dominated Afghanistan in two T20Is both the teams have played each other.

South African wicket-keepers have earned the most fantasy points for their team, while all-rounders have earned the most fantasy points for Afghanistan.

The last meeting between these teams was in Match 20l of the Men’s T20 World Cup, 2016, where AB de Villiers and Mohammad Shahzad scored the highest fantasy points for their respective teams.

Key Players to Watch

Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG)

Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi, a left-arm medium-fast bowler, has been in stellar form, taking 16 wickets in his last seven matches.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG)

Afghanistan’s explosive top-order batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, has been having a dream run in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Gurbaz has smashed 281 runs in the recent seven matches at an average of 40.14.

Quinton de Kock (SA)

Quinton de Kock, South Africa’s star wicketkeeper-batter, has been one of the leading run-scorers in the tournament. The southpaw has amassed 199 runs in the recent seven matches at a strike rate of 148.50.

Anrich Nortje (SA)

South Africa’s fast bowler, Anrich Nortje, has been playing a vital role in their bowling unit since the last two T20 World Cups. Nortje has scalped 11 wickets in the recent seven matches at an economy of 6.0.

Rashid Khan (AFG)

Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan has been leading his side from the front in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The leg spinner has scalped 14 wickets in the recent seven matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.10.

Tristan Stubbs (SA)

South Africa’s explosive middle-order batter, Tristan Stubbs, has been playing an X-factor in the Proteas’ playing XI. The explosive right-handed batter has smashed 134 runs in the recent seven matches at an average of 33.50.

Confusion between Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in AFG vs BAN.© X (Twitter)

Australia Test stalwart Usman Khawaja expressed his sadness at Afghanistan not being able to play in Australia, as he congratulated Afghanistan’s historic 2024 T20 World Cup win over his own country. Earlier in the year, Cricket Australia had cancelled a bilateral series against Afghanistan over the country’s “marked deterioration” in the treatment of women and children, following the rise of the Taliban regime. While the Afghanistan cricketers remain puzzled over the decision, Khawaja stated that the Afghanistan side was an inspiration.

Replying to a tweet by Rashid Khan celebrating Afghanistan’s 21-run win over Australia, Khawaja said:

“Well done Brother. Better team on the day. You boys are an inspiration for so many back home and abroad. So sad we can’t see you all play in Australia.”

In 2023 and 2024, Cricket Australia had cancelled a planned bilateral series against Afghanistan. The decisions came following restrictions imposed by the ruling Taliban, which did not allow women and girls to access higher education and public property like parks and gyms.

Needing a win to stay alive in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan posted a total of 148 in 20 overs. However, the Aussie opening pair of Travis Head and David Warner failed to fire.

It looked that much like the 2023 World Cup clash between the two nations, Glenn Maxwell would take the game away from Afghanistan. However, he was dismissed in the 15th over, with Australia lying at 106-6. 

Gulbadin Naib was the unlikely hero with the ball, picking up four wickets: Maxwell, the in-form Marcus Stoinis, Tim David and Pat Cummins.

Afghanistan bundled out Australia for 127, registering their first win over the Aussies in T20 World Cup history.

If Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in their final Super 8 clash, and Australia lose to India, then Afghanistan will take a spot in the 2024 T20 World Cup semis.

Packed streets of Afghanistan after T20 World Cup Super 8 win vs Australia.© X (Twitter)