Innings Afghanistan 169 (Gurbaz 89, Ghazanfar 31, Phehlukwayo 2-17) vs South Africa

South Africa will feel as though they have finally arrived in the contest after being completely outplayed in the first two matches. Their bowlers adapted to conditions and wickets were shared all around, but it was their fielding that stood out. Run-outs accounted for three of the 10 Afghan wickets as South Africa bowled Afghanistan out in 34 overs.

Lungi Ngidi was excellent upfront, with his range of cutters and slower balls and got an early breakthrough when debutant opener Abdul Malik played all around a straight delivery and was pinned on the pad. His first ODI innings with only 9 to his name. Ngidi arguably made a more important breakthrough in his next over, when Gurbaz drove him aerially, he stuck out his right hand and the ball clipped his finger and ricocheted off Rahmat Shah and onto the stumps. Rahmat, at the non-striker's end, was well short of his ground.

Rahmat was sloppy in getting back in time but Hashmatullah Shahidi's lack of urgency was worse. He hit Aiden Markam behind square and called for two but ran the second too slowly and veered off a straight line to give Tristan Stubbs enough time at sweeper cover to throw to Kyle Verreynne and run the Afghan captain out. Things got worse in the next over when legspinner Nqaba Peter bowled Azmatullah Omarzai.

By then, Gurbaz had already brought up a 47-ball 50, laced with his characteristic clean-hitting down the ground and on the leg side. He dealt with the wickets by batting as normally as possible, even as he grew frustrated with his partner's mistakes. Ikram Alikhil was next to misjudge when Gurbaz bottom-edged a pull off Markram to midwicket, leaving no time for a single. Alikhil was half-way down the wicket when Gurbaz sent him back but Temba Bavuma was onto the ball and ran Alikhil out.

Mohammad Nabi was Afghanistan's last recognised batter and South Africa kept him quiet. They should have had him out for 5 when he missed a Bjorn Fortuin arm ball. South Africa didn't review but replays showed he would have been out lbw. In Fortuin's next over, he got his own back when Nabi edged him to Verreynne and Bavuma reviewed successfully.

Gurbaz's push for a century ended when he tried to hit Andile Phehlukwayo over extra cover and was well caught by Reeza Hendricks diving forward to leave Afghanistan 133 for 7. Phehlukwayo took a second wicket in three balls before Ngidi and Peter got rid of the tail. Afghanistan left 16 overs out there and will be disappointed with their capitulation after two dominant performances earlier in the week.