Afghanistan vs South Africa, 2nd ODI at Sharjah, AFG vs SA, Sep 20 2024 - Match Result

11.10pm There it is! Afghanistan have done it. They have won their first-ever bilateral series against South Africa, with one game to go. Gurbaz, who had set it up tonight, punches his fist. Rashid, meanwhile, hugs Kharote. The crowd is loving this. #ScenesinSharjah.

After opting to bat, Afghanistan posed 311 for 4 on the back of Gurbaz's 105 and Omarzai's 86*. Gurbaz, btw, became Afghanistan's most prolific ODI centurion with seven tons to his name. In reply, SA started well, thanks to de Zorzi and Bavuma, but the Afghanistan spinners then demolished the SA line-up. Rashid celebrated his 26th birthday with figures of 5 for 19 while Kharote backed him up with 4 for 26. The SA batters struggled to pick the spinners once again, folding for 134 in 34.2 overs. They lost all 10 wickets in the space of 20.3 overs.

That's all we have for you from this game. Thanks for your company and comments. Until next time, this is Deivarayan Muthu signing off on the behalf of Sunaadh Sagar and P Ranjith. Take care and good night.

Birthday boy Rashid is the Player of the Match: Five-for... Yeah I had a hamstring [injury] but I try my best to stay on the ground and do my best for the team. Great opportunity for us to win the series against a big team, so I had to stay till the end. I really enjoy youngsters like Khatote and Ghazanfar, we share ideas with him. They listen and learn and that's the beauty of spending time with them. Great to see youngsters coming up and showcasing talent on the big stage against SA. As I said earlier, we had an opportunity to win the series against SA and the love for the game keeps pushing you to play. So, I thought I was able to play and be able to stay for the team. Good job to the physio as well.

Shahidi, Afghanistan captain: Congrats to our nation. I think we're happy here and all people back home will be happy. I think all of them - the way Gurbaz started, Rahmat and Omarzai carried on. In the batting, all of them were very good. When it comes to bowling, I know the spinners will deliver it for me. I talked to Rahmat and he's good and maybe he'll play the next game. Before also, he was not feeling good. Hopefully, he will be okay for the next game.

Bavuma, SA captain: Look, I think the job for openers is to lay the foundation but wickets started falling and we came unstuck against spin. Not a good enough performance. Like I said, you gotta take the learnings and be as positive as you can. Sunday will be another opportunity for the boys. We were not able to take ten wickets and that's a conversation we need to have. Omarzai put us under pressure in the middle and that's the reason they got to that score after Gurbaz gave the foundation. They were a lot better than us clinically.

Engr. Ibrahim O: "Afghanistan is one of the strongest cricket teams in Asia, after India!"

Khalid Lalzai: "Birthday magic!! Rashid celebrating his birthday in style with a 5-wicket haul! First player to do it on his special day--what a legend! Happy Birthday, Rashid, and here's to many more match-winning performances! "

Sampath Bandarupalli: Rashid Khan is the first player to bag a five-wicket haul on birthday in an ODI match.

Only two players before took a four-wicket haul on their birthday in an ODI:

4-12 Vernon Philander vs Ireland, 2007 (22nd birthday)

4-44 Stuart Broad vs Australia, 2010 (24th birthday)

Engr. Ibrahim O: "Afghanistan is one of the strongest cricket teams in Asia, after India!" - Hard to make an argument for another team at the moment.

Kharote to continue with a slip in place.

Ngidi in...

Burger into bat, as South Africa stare at a series defeat.

Aayushman: "Time for Markram to channel 'that' Maxwell in himself."

- Even a Maxwell wouldn't be enough here...