Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton added 114 for the second wicket to power South Africa to a formidable total of 187-6 after being asked to bat first in their second T20 World Cup match against Afghanistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
The left handers scored contrasting but equally valuable half centuries with de Kock slightly more measured at the top of the innings with 59 from 41 balls which included five fours and three sixes before pulling a short delivery from Afghan captain Rashid Khan to midwicket.
Rickelton, too, made a steady start before bursting into life with a flurry of boundaries in the middle of the innings which saw 23 runs come from the 10th over bowled by Noor Ahmed, one of four spinners used by Afghanistan.
Pure and clinical ball-striking from Rickelton, especially over midwicket and long on, earned him five fours and a four sixes in a bristling 61 from just 28 balls before a quicker delivery from Rashid (4-0-28-2) trapped him lbw with an optimistic review unable to save him.
Dewald Brevis also opted for a ‘steady’ rather than ‘flying’ start but flat-batted seamer Azmatullah Omarzai (4-0-41-3) to mid off to depart for 23 from 19 balls (1x4, 1x6) while Tristan Stubbs (1) attempted a lap-sweep against the same bowler and top-edged to short fine leg.
David Miller drove a straight six in his unbeaten 20 from 15 balls while Marco Jansen gave the innings some much appreciated late impetus with two fours and a straight six in his 16 from just six balls before hoisting his seventh – and last of the innings – to long off.
Captain Aiden Markram (5) was an early casualty lofting a clever slower ball from seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi (4-0-32-1) to mid off in the third over.
South Africa made one change from the XI which comfortably beat Canada in their opening match with a second spinner, George Linde, preferred to pace bowling allrounder Corbin Bosch.
SOUTH AFRICA: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock (wkt), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
AFGHANISTAN: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wkt), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (captain), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi