In the Cricket World Cup 2023, South Africa faced Afghanistan in a crucial encounter. Afghanistan, tied with Pakistan on points, retained a slim mathematical chance for a top-four spot, though their poor net run rate made this prospect highly improbable. Afghanistan’s campaign suffered a major setback in a dramatic match against Australia, where they faltered despite reducing the opponents to 91/7 while defending a target of 292. Glenn Maxwell’s exceptional innings, coupled with Afghanistan’s lapses in fielding and bowling, resulted in one of the greatest turnarounds in cricket history.
Despite this setback, Afghanistan showcased their prowess in the tournament, securing wins against former champions Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England. This highlighted their capability beyond being reliant on a star-studded spin attack or labeled as a T20-focused team.
As Afghanistan concluded their World Cup journey against South Africa, the latter had already secured a spot in the semi-finals. However, South Africa was recovering from a significant loss to India, where their batting and bowling performance was dismantled, resulting in a 243-run defeat.
Key highlights of the South Africa vs Afghanistan match included Afghanistan winning the toss and opting to bat first. The match saw a setback for South Africa as Lungi Ngidi left the field during the sixth over due to an Achilles tendon issue. South Africa, known for their struggles while chasing, faced a challenging campaign. The two sides had met only once before in ODIs, and with South Africa advancing to the semis, Afghanistan’s chances of breaking into the top four were deemed practically impossible.
