Champions Trophy 3 things Afghanistan team should have done right to win against South Africa.

Champions Trophy debutants Afghanistan made a miserable start to their campaign on Friday. Hasmatullah Shahidi and his side lost the game to South Africa by 107 runs at the National Stadium in Karachi. Barring Rahmat Shah with the bat and Mohammad Nabi with the ball none of the players managed to contribute much.

South Africa on the other hand managed to assert their authority with an easy win. Ryan Rickelton led the way with a classy ton. Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, and Aiden Markram scored fifties with the bat that helped the Proteas reach 315. Kagiso Rabada then got three wickets for 36 runs to skittle out the opposition for 208.

Here are the three things Afghanistan could have done differently against South Africa

3- Batted better in the first ten overs of the game

Chasing 316 to win, the onus was on Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran to bat well. The opening duo have given their team good starts with the bat in the white-ball format. Both batters fell inside the first ten overs to put huge pressure on their team in such a huge chase. Gurbaz was the first to go when he offered a simple catch to Keshav Maharaj off Lungi Ngidi. The next man out was Ibrahim Zadran for 17 beaten for pace by Kagiso Rabada in the 10^th over. Had Afghanistan not lost both their openers their chase could have been better.

2- Better application from the middle-order

Afghanistan has a strong middle-order which has good power hitters. The likes of Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Gulbadin Naib have been proven match winners before. Hasmatullah Shahidi himself is a batter with a great temperament who can play the long innings. Rahmat Shah was the top scorer with 90 runs but sadly didn’t get any support from the other batters. This proved to be a huge failure from Afghanistan whose batting has delivered several huge chases in the past.

1- Lack of delivery from front-line bowlers

Rashid Khan was the biggest letdown with the ball as he went wicketless from his ten overs. The Afghan spinner was supposed to make good use of the conditions at hand and play a key role for his team. Fazalhaq Farooqi has been known for his swing with the new ball and also failed to deliver the early blows with the ball. Except for Mohammad Nabis’s two wickets, the Afghan bowlers seemed clueless and lacklustre with the ball.

Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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