Clinical Proteas dispatch fragile Afghanistan in ICC opener

The only trouble for South Africa, in an otherwise tranquil stroll to victory over Afghanistan on Friday, was a stray black cat which kept wandering around the outfield at the National Stadium in Karachi. 

The frightened feline positioned itself at deep long off for the right-handed batter when Kagiso Rabada came on to bowl, strolling around that region seeking solace.

At one point when it neared the infield Rabada had to chase it away. 

Afghanistan, couldn’t blame the cat for any misfortune that was visited upon them in what was a comprehensive 107-run defeat to start both teams’ campaigns in the Champions Trophy. 

The Afghans had the majority of the crowd on their side, but little else, as South Africa delivered a clinical display, that was reminiscent of so many performances at the last two ICC limited overs tournaments. 

The Proteas certainly know how to manage the group stages of competitions and while a lot of this side haven’t played together since the 2023 World Cup, this performance showed that once reunited, they are a side to watch at this tournament. 

The most notable absentee from 2023, is Quinton de Kock, South Africa's leading run-scorer in India, but the man who replaced him performed expertly at the top of the order. 

Ryan Rickelton’s 2024/25 season is turning into a great summer. He's scored two Test hundreds — including a majestic 259 to kick-start the year — and had a starring role for MI Cape Town in their triumph in the SA20. Now he also has an ODI century, in his first match at an ICC tournament.

Rickelton’s 103, which came off 106 balls and included seven fours and a six was the backbone of an efficient batting display, that will have pleased Temba Bavuma and the team’s management. 

South Africa reached 315/6, a total that could have been bigger, but one in which they methodically upped the ante, without seeming to break sweat.

That they did so without the services of Heinrich Klaasen will be doubly pleasing.

The most devastating striker in the white ball formats sat out Friday’s clash with a left elbow soft tissue injury.

According to the team’s management, the decision to bench Klaasen was precautionary. 

With Rickelton playing the anchor role the next part of the batting strategy would have involved a substantial top-order partnership, which Temba Bavuma played a role in securing. 

The South African captain, scored 58, sharing a 129-run second wicket partnership with Rickelton that positioned the innings perfectly.

Half centuries from Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram topped off the innings leaving Afghanistan to chase a total they’d never achieved previously.

Though his final analysis may not suggest it, Lungi Ngidi produced a confidence-boosting display with the ball, that included the crucial dismissal of the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the fourth over. 

That dismissal showed the best of Ngidi, who had been smacked for four the ball before, and with Gurbaz walking down the wicket towards him he delivered another short ball, which Gurbaz top edged to short fine leg where Keshav Maharaj took a good low catch diving forward.

Ngidi was unfortunate with some of the boundaries he conceded, and otherwise bowled in the manner he and his skipper would have wanted, mixing in slower balls when he returned later in the innings. 

He finished with 2/56 in eight overs, while Kagiso Rabada picked up 3/36, with the rest of the attack also performing proficiently in defence of a total that was beyond Afghanistan’s reach. Rahmat Shah’s 90 was the only highlight for them. 

Besides the win, South Africa also gave their net run rate a boost, before their second Group B match against Australia on Tuesday.