Rickelton stars in South Africa win over Afghanistan

ICC Champions Trophy Group B, Karachi

South Africa 315-6 (50 overs): Rickelton 103 (106), Bavuma 58 (76); Nabi 2-51

Afghanistan 208 (43.3 overs): Rahmat 90 (92); Rabada 3-36, Mulder 2-36

South Africa won by 107 runs

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Ryan Rickelton scored his maiden one-day planetary period arsenic South Africa claimed a comfy 107-run triumph implicit Afghanistan successful the Champions Trophy.

After opting to bat first, the Proteas posted 315-6 with left-hander Rickelton making 103 from 106 balls astatine the apical of the bid and half-centuries for Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram.

It proved acold excessively galore for Afghanistan, who mislaid wickets astatine regular intervals and slumped to 208 each retired successful 43.3 overs.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was peculiarly awesome for South Africa with figures of 3-36, portion Rahmat Shah was the lone batter to supply immoderate existent absorption with a sound of 90 from 92 balls.

He was the past antheral out, edging down to Rickelton disconnected Rabada arsenic South Africa wrapped up a convincing triumph to instrumentality a measurement towards the semi-finals.

The Proteas were successful power from shot 1 with Rickelton showing a calm assuredness passim his innings.

He and Bavuma enactment connected 129 for the 2nd wicket earlier Van der Dussen and Markram took implicit successful the second stages with Afghanistan incapable to asseverate overmuch existent unit astatine immoderate point.

Losing Rahmanullah Gurbaz aboriginal successful the pursuit seemed to drain Jonathan Trott's men of each content and contempt Rahmat's champion efforts, the effect was beyond uncertainty agelong earlier Rabada took the last wicket.

Gone are the days wherever the accepted big-hitters successful planetary cricket mightiness see beating Afghanistan to beryllium a formality.

But astir from the infinitesimal South Africa won the toss, it ne'er felt similar the effect would beryllium thing but a Proteas win.

There was thing peculiarly flashy but it was the casual ratio with which they secured triumph that volition adhd to the content that Bavuma's broadside are among the starring contenders successful Pakistan.

With the bat, determination was the aforesaid calm and patience done the mediate overs that is already becoming a taxable among the apical sides successful the competition.

South Africa went on astatine 6.13 an implicit betwixt the 11th and 40 overs - the highest of immoderate broadside astatine the tourney truthful acold - but rotating the onslaught alternatively than boundaries was the key.

They had a dot shot percent of 37.4%, astir 10% little than New Zealand's 47%, which is the adjacent champion successful the competition.

Rickelton led the mode successful that respect and it took an antithetic tally retired - bowler Rashid Khan swooping to cod the shot successful his travel done and throwing down the stumps with the South African's bat successful the aerial arsenic helium dived to get backmost - to extremity his good knock.

Bavuma joined him successful the dependable accumulation of runs earlier Van der Dussen and Markram upped the tempo precocious connected arsenic 4 of the apical 5 passed 50.

They passed 300 comfortably and inactive person the brilliantly destructive Heinrich Klaasen - who was near retired arsenic precaution with a near elbow contented - to return.

Meanwhile, adjacent without the explicit gait of the injured Anrich Nortje, the bowling portion is some varied and afloat of quality.

Rabada is the undisputed person of the onslaught and truly ramped up the gait connected a bouncy Karachi way with his 91.96mph transportation to vessel Ibrahim Zadran the 2nd fastest shot to instrumentality a wicket successful the Champions Trophy since 2009.

The consistency of the bowling ensured Afghanistan rapidly fell down the complaint and erstwhile they did effort to motorboat counter-attacks, the accomplishment of the Proteas bowlers soon stopped specified advances successful their tracks.

There volition beryllium tougher challenges to travel but, aft falling conscionable abbreviated astatine past year's T20 World Cup, South Africa look good placed to marque a tally astatine different white-ball trophy.

South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma: "A objective show from our side. We got the hitch of the greenish with the flip and took the brave determination to bat archetypal not knowing however the wicket would play. It was a much than competitory score, adjacent to our champion performance."

Player of the match, South Africa's Ryan Rickelton: "I was rather tense coming into contiguous - my archetypal due ICC event. To get up determination was a small spot edgy but to acceptable up a winning show for the squad is thing I americium precise chuffed with."

Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi: "We didn't bat bully capable today. If you look astatine the pitch, it was helping them. We bowled good but the mode we batted successful the archetypal 20 overs was not up to the mark."

South Africa caput to Rawalpindi to look Australia successful their 2nd radical lucifer connected Tuesday.

Afghanistan person to hold until Wednesday earlier they're backmost successful action. Next up for them is simply a gathering with England astatine Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.

England statesman their Champions Trophy run against aged rivals Australia successful Lahore connected Saturday.

While Australia person won this tourney doubly before, successful 2006 and 2009, England are bidding to triumph it for the archetypal time.