Aiden Markram top-scored for South Africa in the third ODI against Afghanistan. Picture: Arun Sankar/AFP
Top-order batter Aiden Markram guided the South African team to a consolation victory on Sunday night, as they hit back to beat Afghanistan convincingly in the third and final one-day international (ODI) in Sharjah.
After being thumped in the first two games of the series (by six wickets in the first fixture and 177 runs in the second clash) the Proteas picked up a seven-wicket win with 17 overs to spare in the final match, though Afghanistan secured a 2-1 series triumph.
Chasing 170 runs for victory, the SA team got off to a decent start, as they looked to make up for disappointing performances in the previous two games earlier in the week.
Openers Temba Bavuma and Tony Zorzi shared 40 runs for the first wicket before Bavuma was removed by 18-year-old spin bowler Allah Ghazanfar for 22 runs in the ninth over, while De Zorzi went on to contribute 26.
Markram then carried the Proteas to victory, hitting his 11th career half-century. He made 69 from 66 balls in an innings which included three sixes, combining in an unbroken 90-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs (who was unbeaten on 26) for the fourth wicket as the SA squad reached 170/3.
Afghanistan’s bowlers struggled to pin back the SA side for the first time in the series. Left-arm seamer Fareed Hamad was the best of their attack, returning 1/17.
Earlier, after winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Afghanistan were bowled out for 169 runs in the 34th over of their innings.
They were anchored by opener Rahmatullah Gurbaz, who made 89 runs off 94 balls, while Ghazanfar added a useful 31 not out off just 15 deliveries down the order.
The Proteas bowling attack were more effective than they had been in the first two matches of the series, with Lungi Ngidi (2/22), Nqaba Peter (2/22) and Andile Phehlukwayo (2/17) taking two wickets each, as they combined well to contain their opposition.
Following their 2-1 series defeat, South Africa will need to pick themselves up with a quick turnaround ahead of their five-match campaign against minnows Ireland.
They will play Ireland in the first of two T20 Internationals in Abu Dhabi on Friday, which will be followed by three ODI matches between the two sides.
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