CT2025: Rickelton, Rabada shine as South Africa beat Afghanistan by 107 runs

Karachi [Pakistan], February 21 (ANI): A fighting knock by Rahmat Shah could not eclipse Ryan Rickelton's century and a fine effort from South African pacers as Afghanistan went down to Proteas in their ICC Champions Trophy opener at Karachi on Friday.
Chasing 316 runs, Afghanistan lost wickets at regular intervals. However, Rahmat kept fighting, trying to reduce the gap of defeat to the shortest margin possible and perhaps pull off a miracle. However, SA was too good and Afghanistan succumbed to a 107-run loss.
In the run-chase of 316 runs, Afghanistan was dealt a massive blow when the opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (10), their most consistent batter, was removed by Lungi Ngidi just after conceding a boundary. A top-edge landed into Keshav Maharaj's hands at short fine leg. Afghanistan was 16/1 in 3.2 overs.
Kagiso Rabada laid Ibrahim Zadran's (16) middle stump flat, removing both openers at a score of 38 in 9.4 overs.
Sediqullah Atal and skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi could not rebuild for Afghanistan, getting dismissed by the time the score hit 50 in 14.4 overs.
Azmatullah Omarzai and Rahmat Shah gave Afghanistan a temporary moment of relief, finding some boundaries. However, their 39-run stand ended with Omarzai getting caught behind by Rickelton on a Rabada delivery for 18 in 27 balls, with three fours. Afghanistan lost half their team for 89 runs in 23 overs.
Afghanistan reached the 100-run mark in 25.1 overs.
All-rounder Mohammed Nabi was the sixth wicket to fall, with Afghans failing to stitch yet another big stand. Marco Jansen got the veteran for eight and left Afghans at 120/6 in 29 overs.
Gulbadin Naib joined Rahmat and found some boundaries against Jansen.
Rahmat reached his half-century in 62 balls, with four boundaries. However, he found himself running out of partners, with Ngidi cleaning Gulbadin for 13 in 19 balls, with two fours. Afghanistan was 142/7 in 34.2 overs.
Rashid Khan was next up on the crease and tried putting up some life into the match with some hitting. The entertainment was shortlived though as Rashid's knock of 18 in 13 balls, with three fours and a six was ended by Maharaj, with a fine catch from Aiden Markram at mid-wicket. Afghanistan was 169/8 in 37.3 overs.
Rahmat was not the one to give up though, taking Keshav Maharaj to the cleaners with three successive fours.
Afghanistan reached the 200-run mark in 42.1 overs.
However, Mulder and Rabada ended Afghanistan's fight, with Rahmat the last wicket to fall for 90 in 92 balls, with nine fours and a six. Afghanistan was skittled out for 208 in 43.3 overs.
Rabada (3/36) was the top bowler for South Africa. Mulder and Ngidi got two wickets. Maharaj and Jansen picked a wicket each.
Earlier, the left-hand batter Ryan Rickleton's maiden ODI century (103) stormed the South African side to 315 runs after the end of the 50 overs at the National Stadium in Karachi against Afghanistan on Friday.
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss and elected to field first. Batters Ryan Rickleton and Tony De Zorzi came out in the middle to open the innings.
Both the batters were able to put on just 28 runs before Zorzi was sent back to the pavilion in the sixth over on the bowling of spinner Mohammad Nabi. The left-hand batter was dismissed after scoring just 11 runs in same number of balls.
Following Zorzi's dismissal, right-hand batter Bavuma came out to bat in the middle along with Rickleton.
The South African team completed the 50-run mark in the 11th over of the innings. In the 15th over, Rickleton brought his second fifty in the 50-over format.
In the 20th over, the Temba Bavuma-led side completed the 100-run mark. In the 25th over, team skipper, Bavuma completed his fifty.
After scoring the fifty, Bavuma was sent back to the dressing room in the penultimate ball of the 29th over, bowled by Nabi. The right-hand batter went back after scoring 58 runs from 76 balls, which included five boundaries.
Rassie van der Dussen came out to bat next in the middle. Rickleton completed his maiden century in the 35th over, and in the next over, he was sent back after scoring 103 runs through a run-out executed by leg-spinner Rashid Khan on his own bowling.
Aiden Markram came out to bat next in the middle, along with van der Dussen. In the 42nd over, van der Dussen completed his half-century. In the next over, the right-hand batter was dismissed on the bowling of Noor Ahmed.
In the 43rd over, the Proteas team completed the 250-run mark with David Miller (1) and Markram (15) unbeaten on the crease.
Miller (14 runs off 18 balls with one four) was sent back in the 48th over as Rahmat Shah took a spectacular catch on the boundary.
Markram completed his fifty in the 49th over. In the same over, the South African side touched the 300-run mark. The Temba Buma-led side finished the innings at 315/6 in their 50 overs.
For Afghanistan, Nabi snapped two wickets in his 10 overs, conceding 51 runs. Fazalhaq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Noor Ahmed bagged one wicket each in their respective spells.
Brief Score: South Africa 315/6 in 50 overs (Ryan Rickleton 103, Temba Bavuma 58, Mohammad Nabi 2/51) vs Afghanistan: 208/10: (Rahmat Shah 90, Rashid Khan 18, Kagiso Rabada 3/36). (ANI)