Ghafari gives South Africa an opening jolt
KIMBERLEY: Hosts South Africa got off to a rude shock in the U-19 World Cup opener as they wilted under Afghanistan’s spin attack here on Friday.
Leg-spinner Shafiqullah Ghafari’s six-wicket haul ensured that the Proteas teenagers could notch only 129 in 29.1 overs. The target was overhauled by Afghanistan in just 25 overs with seven wickets remaining.
After opting to bat, South Africa lost their first wicket in just the third ball of the match as left-arm pacer Fazal Haque castled opener Jonathan Bird. In his next over, Haque bowled the other opener Andrew Louw as the hosts reeled at 7/2.
From there on the Afghan spinners took over as they picked rest of the eight wickets. Though captain Bryce Parsons (40) and Luke Beaufort (25) stitched a 55-run second-wicket stand, it was not enough.
The star of the show was Ghafari, who was the last to be introduced in the attack in the 12th over.
With a brilliant loop that kept the South African batsmen guessing, Ghafari picked six wickets for 15 runs—the seventh best figures in the history of the U-19 World Cup.
Ghafari did not take long to strike terror as he got his first victim in the 14th over.
Levert Manje misread his googly and got bowled. Then Jack Lees was guilty of going too much on the back foot to Ghafari and was trapped in front of the wicket.
The 18-year-old Ghafari got his third with a wrong-un; Khanya Cotani couldn’t do much as the ball sneaked between his bat and pad.
In his very next over, Ghafari induced an edge off Tiaan van Vuuren to slip fielder Rahmanullah as South Africa reeled at 90/8.
Had it not been for Gerald Coetzee’s counter-attacking knock of 38 off 23 balls South Africa would not have crossed 100.
He and Achille Cloete too got picked up by Ghafari as the hosts were all out for 129. Chinaman bowler Noor Ahmad picked two wickets.
Though Afghanistan lost captain Farhan Zakhil early, Ibrahim Zadran (52) and Imran (57) ensured the spinners’ good work wouldn’t go wasted. Brief scores: South Africa U-19 129 in 29.1 overs (B Parsons 40, S Ghafari 6/15) lost to Afghanistan U-19 130/3 in 25 overs (Imran 57, A Cloete 2/20) by 7 wickets.