Afghanistan vs South Africa | Afghanistan and South Africa tour of UAE, 2024 | 3rd ODI

Right then, that wraps up what has been a thoroughly entertaining first-ever bilateral series between Afghanistan and South Africa. Hashmatullah Shahidi collects the trophy and joins his teammates as confetti is popped, with the team posing for pictures with their well-deserved silverware. Looking ahead, South Africa will now head to Abu Dhabi for their white-ball series against Ireland, starting with the T20I series on Friday, 27th September, followed by the ODIs. As for Afghanistan, their next assignment will be a multi-format series in Zimbabwe in December, though the exact dates are yet to be confirmed. That’s all from us for now. Goodbye and cheers!

The skipper of Afghanistan, Hashmatullah Shahidi says that it is a good feeling to win the series and there were many learnings for them in this series. Mentions that he would have been more happy had they won this game but at the same time, they wanted to give some game time to the youngsters. Reckons that the run outs cost them in this game. Shares that there are a lot of youngsters who have a bright future for Afghanistan.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma expresses his satisfaction with the team's performance, stating that he is pleased with how they elevated their skills. He commends their clinical approach with the bat, acknowledging that while the series didn't go as planned, the players gained valuable experience and learning from it. Bavuma highlights the importance of handling the Powerplay, which he and Tony de Zorzi managed effectively, and praises the middle-order for carrying on the momentum. He also notes that the dew played a role, helping the ball skid on the surface. Overall, he is happy with the day’s outcome.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH, albeit in a losing cause, as he waged a lone battle for Afghanistan with the bat. He is also the PLAYER OF THE SERIES for scoring 194 runs in the series. He says that he is happy with his performance and states that it feels good to perform against a quality side like South Africa. Feels that he could have done better in this game. Further says that he is looking forward to carrying this confidence in future games.

Time for the presentation...

Earlier in the game, the toss went Afghanistan's way, and they opted to bat first. South Africa bowled well, consistently targeting the stumps during the Powerplay. The visitors chipped away at the wickets throughout the middle phase, with three run outs contributing to Afghanistan's downfall. While Rahmanullah Gurbaz kept the runs flowing, his aggressive approach led to his dismissal. AM Ghazanfar hit a few lusty blows but was left stranded as Afghanistan were bowled out for 169 with 16 overs unused. For South Africa, their bowling effort was well-supported by their fielders, with Lungi Ngidi, Nqabayomzi Peter, and Andile Phehlukwayo each taking two wickets, while Bjorn Fortuin chipped in with one.

In tricky chases like these, there's always one key partnership that sets the team up for success, and for South Africa, that pivotal stand came from Aiden Markram and Tristan Stubbs. Both batters batted sensibly during their unbeaten 90-run stand, mixing caution with smart strike rotation. It wasn’t just a matter of blocking deliveries, but they kept the scoreboard ticking, which is often key to countering spin and avoiding pressure. As the innings progressed, both grew in confidence, but it was Aiden Markram in particular who began to assert himself, playing with increasing authority and ensuring that there were no more hiccups.

With 170 runs to chase, it was not as straightforward as it appeared, especially considering South Africa's struggles against spin throughout the series. Afghanistan certainly had a chance to make things difficult. While Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi provided a cautious start, neither could convert their innings into a substantial score. Reeza Hendricks also fell without a significant impact, leaving the game hanging in the balance. Although Afghanistan managed to chip away at the top order, they were unable to pick wickets in clusters, which could have allowed them to get a better grip on the game.

A clinical win for South Africa to deny Afghanistan a series sweep! Not only have they salvaged pride, but this victory also gives them momentum heading into their upcoming series against Ireland. As for Afghanistan, they just couldn't turn up on the day. They had been dominant in the first two games, but in this match, they were anything but that. South Africa emerge victorious in the third and final ODI, but Afghanistan take the series with a 2-1 scoreline.