Afghanistan series successfully win against South Africa 2024

The difference between Afghanistan and South Africa in their men’s ODI series in Sharjah, which concluded on Sunday, was stark. While South Africa salvaged some pride by winning the final game of the series, the first two matches were dominated by Afghanistan. Rob Walter, South Africa’s coach, used Rashid Khan as an example to highlight the key to success: hard work and dedication.

“The values around life don’t change—you’ve got to work hard, you’ve got to really invest in the game,” Walter explained during a press conference. “Improving your skills takes time. It doesn’t just happen. Rashid Khan has played 500 T20 games. You don’t become the best in the world by chance. It takes time and effort.”

Walter’s estimate was a bit off; Rashid has played 448 T20 games for 18 teams. However, his point remained valid. Rashid’s vast experience dwarfs that of South African players in the series. Collectively, Afghanistan’s players have 1,717 T20 caps compared to South Africa’s 1,483—a difference of 234 matches. Rashid and Mohammad Nabi account for over half of Afghanistan’s total experience. In contrast, South Africa spread their experience more evenly among players like Aiden Markram (165 T20s), Bjorn Fortuin (141), and Temba Bavuma (131).

South Africa, however, could have fielded a far more experienced side. David Miller, with 499 T20 matches under his belt, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Heinrich Klaasen, and Kagiso Rabada were all absent for various reasons. Together, they add up to 1,366 caps.

But this was an ODI series, not T20 cricket. In terms of List A experience, Afghanistan’s squad had 1,149 matches compared to South Africa’s 1,171—a marginal difference of 22 games. However, the disparity in experience doesn’t fully explain how Afghanistan dominated South Africa in the first two games, especially since South Africa entered the series ranked third in the world, while Afghanistan were ranked ninth.

The turning point of the series was South Africa’s lack of depth and the deployment of several fringe players, as opposed to Afghanistan’s experienced heavyweights. On Wednesday, Fazalhaq Farooqi’s 4/35 and the emerging spinner AM Ghazanfar’s 3/20 skittled South Africa for a paltry 106, and Afghanistan chased the target with six wickets in hand. On Friday, Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 105, Azmatullah Omarzai added an unbeaten 86, and Rashid Khan bowled despite a hamstring injury, claiming 5/19 to restrict South Africa to 134 after posting 311/4.

While Sunday’s dead rubber allowed South Africa to regain some dignity by dismissing Afghanistan for 169, Aiden Markram’s unbeaten 69 helped secure a seven-wicket win.

Walter was upfront about the lack of experience in the South African squad, both before and after the series. We’re building on the experience gained,” he noted after Sunday’s win. He acknowledged the disappointment, particularly in the first two games, but emphasized the need for exposure to different conditions as a means of improvement. Sharjah’s slow, turning pitches and intense heat posed a tough challenge for South Africa, which the Afghans handled much better.

“It’s hard to explain the toughness of the subcontinent conditions,” Walter said. “We faced a telanted spinner Ghazanfar who we hadn’t seen before. Rashid Khan is world-class, and even harder to face under lights.”

Ghazanfar, an 18-year-old off-spinner, is a rising talent. Despite his limited experience—just two ODIs before the series—he bowled effectively against South Africa. His ability to turn the ball both ways with a mean carrom ball made life difficult for the South African batters.

In contrast, Afghanistan’s spinners dominated. Across the three games, Afghanistan’s four spinners claimed 16 wickets at an economy rate of 3.76, while their seamers took just six wickets at 4.69. South Africa’s well-documented struggles against spin were glaring once again.

Walter acknowledged that South Africa has a strong record against spin over the past few years, especially with players like Miller and Klaasen in the lineup. But this series saw a different group of players stepping up. “We’ve got different players who are working hard to become better at playing spin,” Walter said. However, the absence of Miller and Klaasen, both strong players of spin, was noticeable.

South African cricket fans were shocked by the losses, but Afghanistan’s rise in world cricket is undeniable. Over the last two years, they’ve beaten top-tier teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England, New Zealand, Australia, and Bangladesh. While South Africa wasn’t at their best in Sharjah, losing to a team as strong as Afghanistan is no longer a surprise.

Walter concluded with a broader view of the modern game, acknowledging the many opportunities for players, whether representing their country or playing franchise cricket: “There’s no better time to be playing cricket. It’s an exciting time for cricketers around the world.”

For South Africa, the defeat to Afghanistan might serve as a wake-up call to bolster their depth and adapt better to challenging conditions. For Afghanistan, it was another testament to their continued rise as a cricketing powerhouse.