KARACHI , Feb 21 (PTI) : Opening batter Ryan Rickelton struck a flawless maiden century before a clinical display by the bowlers as South Africa began their Champions Trophy campaign with a comprehensive 107-run win over Afghanistan here on Friday.
Rickleton smashed 103 off 106 balls with the help of seven fours and one six while captain Temba Bavuma (58 off 76 balls), Rassie van der Dussen (52 off 46 balls) and Aiden Markram (52 not out off 36 balls) scored half centuries as South Africa posted 315 for 6 after opting to bat.
Rickleton’s ton was the tournament’s fifth in three day’s time and the third at the National Stadium here.
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Chasing a big target of 316, Afghanistan couldn’t repeat their series-winning performance of late last year against South Africa when they won the series 2-1 in Sharjah.
They were bowled out for 208 in 43.3 overs with South Africa pacers Kagiso Rabada (3/36), Lungi Ngidi (2/56), Wiaan Mulder (2/36) and Marco Jansen (1/32) sharing eight wickets among them as they never allowed Afghanistan to get going in the first 15 overs.
The Afghans slipped to 50 for 4 and then to 89 for 5 in the 23rd over.
They never recovered from there.
Rahmat Shah played a lone hand with a 92-ball 90 while Rashid Khan (18) and Azmatullah Omarzai (18) were the second highest scorers for Afghanistan who were never in the game after conceding a big total.
Ngidi set the pace when he got rid of danger man Rehmanullah Gurbaz in the fourth over for 10 when the batsman couldn’t play down a short ball which got big on him and Maharaj took a fine catch at short leg.
After five overs, Rabada, bowling with fire on a batting track, clean-bowled Ibrahim Zadran with a beauty.
To make matters worse, Afghanistan lost Sediqullah Atal (16) to a run out in the 14th over while trying a suicidal single and the next over, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (0) pulled Mulder straight to his opposite number Bavuma at wide mid-on to derail the innings.
Rabada and Jansen went through Azmatullah Omarzai (18) and Muhammad Nabi (8) to make it 120 for 6 and more or less settle the matter even though Rehmat Shah stood out with his fighting 90 from 92 balls before he was the last man out, edging Rabada to the keeper.
Even though Tristan Stubbs was dropped and Heinrich Klassen was ruled out with an elbow tissue injury, South Africa had enough firepower to subdue the Afghans whose deadly three pronged spin attack was nullified on a flat pitch.
There was a period when South Africa struggled to get boundaries with seven overs going without a four at one stage in their innings, overall their batting performance was clinical.
South Africa, after winning the inaugural Champions Trophy event in 1998 (held in knockout format), have never been able to win an ICC title held in proper league group format.
South Africa came close to breaking their jinx when they lost in the final of the World T20 Cup last year to India while they have already qualified for the final of the ICC World Test Championship to be held in June in England.
The South African innings was spearheaded by Rickleton who played a flawless innings to reach his maiden hundred before he found himself run out in unfortunate circumstances.
The southpaw led a disciplined batting display for South Africa with Bavuma, Van Der Dussen and Markram also scoring half centuries to set up the big total.
Rickleton, who hit seven fours and a six, was run out in the 36th over when he flicked back to Rashid Khan whose throw was picked up by the wicketkeeper before whipping off the bails.
The batter dived full length but found his bat in the air when the bails came off.
Rickelton displayed great footwork against spinners Rashid and Muhammad Nabi and chinaman Noor Ahmed, not allowing them to dictate terms on him as he was also very strong off his back foot with his cuts and pulls.
The left-hander shared a strong second wicket partnership of 129 runs with Bavuma who batted smoothly for his 58 off 76 balls.
Once the two were separated with Bavuma holing out into the deep, Rickleton found another able partner in van der Dussen who helped himself to a 52 from 46 balls.
Van Dussen made sure South Africa didn’t feel the absence of Heinrich Klassen who was out of the match with an elbow soft tissue injury and the dropped Tristan Stubbs as he batted very well against pace and spin.
Markram then smashed a quick-fire 52 from 36 balls with six fours and a six but even then South Africa just got 70 in their final 10 overs.
His 52 not out from 36 balls is the fastest by a South African in the tournament.
