Afghanistan took another giant step in ODI cricket after crushing South Africa in a six-wicket victory with 24 overs to spare on Wednesday.
Fazalhaq Farooqi led the way with figures of 4-35, ably supported by Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar's 3-20 and Rashid Khan taking 2-30, as Jonathan Trott's side bowled South Africa out for just 106 in Sharjah.
Wiaan Mulder offered some brief resistance with 52, though only three other Proteas batters managed double figures, and that underwhelming total left Afghanistan with a routine chase.
Though Bjorn Fortuin impressed with an economical 2-22, Azmatullah Omarzai's unbeaten 25 and Gulbadin Naib finishing 34 not out helped Afghanistan to their first-ever win over South Africa with ease.
Data Debrief: ODI world takes note
This victory marked a maiden win for Afghanistan over South Africa and their third-biggest victory in terms of balls to spare against a Test-playing nation.
It comes as no surprise, though, as Afghanistan have beaten England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia in white-ball internationals in the last 11 months.
A transformative period under coach Trott has been underpinned by star Khan, though it was team-mates Farooqi and Ghazanfar who impressed here.
Indeed, Ghazanfar bowled 47 dot balls from his 10-over spell, removing Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne and Jason Smith, while Farooqi provided a dominant opening up top against a poor Proteas.
Molineux stars with 64 as Melbourne Renegades Women win second match in a row
Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin’s Melbourne Renegades Women got their second win in a row in the Women’s Big Bash League thanks to a brilliant batting display from captain Sophie Molineux against Adelaide Strikers Women at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Renegades, chasing 158 for victory, found themselves 52-5 in the ninth over when Molineux came to the crease to join Dottin.
The pair put on a crucial 79 runs before Dottin fell for 20. Seven runs later, Molineux fell for a match-winning 32-ball 64 including nine fours and three sixes.
Eventually needing six runs off the final over, Nicole Faltum and Sarah Coyte guided the Renegades to victory.
Darcie Brown, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Jemma Barsby took two wickets, each, for the Strikers in their efforts to defend what looked like a match-winning total.
Earlier, captain Talia McGrath led the way with 64 off 44 balls including eight fours and a six while Orla Prendergast supported well with 31 as the Strikers made 157-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.
Molineux took 2-39 from her four overs while Georgia Wareham and Alice Capsey split two wickets. Matthews and Dottin when wicketless in seven overs between them.
Australia recover from middle-order collapse to win Pakistan opener
Australia rallied to overcome Pakistan by two wickets in the first of three one-day internationals between the teams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Roared on by vocal travelling support, Pakistan were in the ascendency when their pacemen dropped Australia from 113-2 to 115-7, with the hosts chasing 204 for victory.
Harif Rauf dismissed three while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain also got in on the act to decimate the hosts' middle order.
Naseem Shah had earlier scored 40 off 39 balls to salvage a score of 203 all out for the tourists, but a crucial cameo from captain Pat Cummins got Australia over the line.
Cummins calmly came up with an unbeaten 32 from 31 balls as the hosts sealed victory with 16.3 overs remaining, with even Sean Abbott's error in being run out for 13 failing to inspire a change in the momentum.
Bowler Mitchell Starc told ABC Grandstand after the match: "We probably didn't like that Patty and I had pads on, but it's a positive start to the summer.
"A win is a win no matter how you get there."
Data Debrief: Cummins leads from the front
Cummins' unbeaten 32 may not go down as his most memorable knock in ODIs, but it did equal his best innings for Australia in the format.
That proved crucial after Matthew Short (1), Jake Fraser-McGurk (16), Marnus Labuschagne (16), Aaron Hardie (10) and Glenn Maxwell (0) disappointed with the bat.
Australia, who have won both of their ODI series versus West Indies and England since lifting the World Cup in 2023, can now seal a series triumph in Adelaide on Friday.
Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to lead Hurricanes to seven-wicket win over Red Force
Justin Greaves made history to lead the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an impressive seven-wicket win over the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in CG United Super50 Cup action at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Sunday.
Greaves, who is coming off scores of 111* and 112 in his first two games this season, became the first player in regional List A cricket to hit three consecutive hundreds when he hit his match-winning and career-best 151* to anchor a successful chase of 292 by the Hurricanes with two overs and three balls to spare.
The Bajan’s knock came off 129 balls and included 13 fours. Opening partner Mikyle Louis was good in support with 57 while Chesney Hughes and Jahmar Hamilton chipped in with 33 and 25*.
Earlier, the hosts made 291-6 off their 50 overs after being put in to bat by the Leewards. In form Amir Jangoo fell agonizingly short of a maiden List A hundred with 96 off 109 balls while Jason Mohammed and Tion Webster also got half centuries with 79* and 60, respectively.
Oshane Thomas took 2-54 off eight overs for the Hurricanes who will next play the Guyana Harpy Eagles at the same venue on Tuesday.
The Red Force will next oppose the West Indies Academy at the Sir Frank Worrell memorial Ground on Thursday.
Full Scores:
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 291-6 off 50 overs (Amir Jangoo 96, Jason Mohammed 79*, Tion Webster 60, Oshane Thomas 2-54)
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 292-3 off 47.3 overs (Justin Greaves 151*, Mikyle Louis 57, Chesney Hughes 33, Jahmar Hamilton 25*)
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