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.

In a thrilling display of cricket prowess, West Indies shattered records at all angles, and left fans in awe with a phenomenal 104-run win over Afghanistan in their final Group C contest of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Darren Sammy Stadium, in St Lucia, on Monday.

Here is a look at all the records that were broken during the breathtaking performance.

Highest total of 2024 T20 World Cup

West Indies total of 218-5 was the highest total by any team at this edition of the Men's T20 World Cup, surpassing the 201-6 that Sri Lanka managed against the Netherlands, at the same venue, and Australia's 201-7 against England in Barbados.

Highest individual innings of 2024 T20 World Cup

Nicholas Pooran's outstanding innings of 98 was the highest score by any player at this T20 World Cup, eclipsing the unbeaten 94 USA's Aaron Jones put together against Canada in Dallas.

Highest Powerplay in Men's T20 World Cup history

West Indies scored 92 runs during the Powerplay, beating the previous best of 91 by the Netherlands against Ireland at the 2014 edition of the tournament.

Highest total for West Indies in Men's T20 World Cups

The score of 218-5 by the West Indies was the best they have managed at any edition of the T20 World Cup, going past the 205-6 against South Arica in Johannesburg in 2007.

Equal most runs conceded in one over in Men's T20 World Cup history

An unwanted record for Afghanistan seamer Azmatullah Omarzai, who conceded a total of 36 in one over during the Powerplay. Pooran smashed three sixes and a pair of fours during Omarzai's second over, with some wayward bowling meaning Yuvraj Singh's long-standing record for most runs in one over at a Men's T20 World Cup was equaled.

Pooran overtook Chris Gayle for most sixes by West Indies player in Men's T20I history

Pooran hit eight sixes against Afghanistan, taking his tally to 128 in T20I cricket and past West Indies great Chris Gayle's total of 124.

West Indies have sent a huge warning shot to all and sundry in the Super Eight of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, as they eased past Afghanistan by 104 runs in their final group stage encounter at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia, on Monday.

The win not only ensured that West Indies head into the next phase of the tournament unbeaten, but more importantly, reaffirmed that the Darren Sammy-coached team is a force to be reckoned with, in their hunt for a third T20 World Cup crown. Their two titles to date were won in 2012 and 2016.

Having already secured qualification in the Super Eight stage, West Indies were chasing form and momentum against Afghanistan in the Group C top-of-the-table clash. However, the co-hosts put to rest any lingering doubt surrounding their title claims with the eye-catching performance that had historians scrambling.

Nicholas Pooran with a 53-ball 98, including six fours and eight sixes, led the record-breaking charge, as he assumed the record for most sixes in T20I for the Caribbean side. His tally, which now stands at 128 sixes, swept past Chris Gayle’s 124.

Homeboy Johnson Charles struck 43 off 27 balls including eight boundaries.

Obed McCoy (3-14) and spinners Gudakesh Motie (2-28) and Akeal Hosein (2-21) then did the damage with the ball.

Pooran’s knock is the highest individual score for the tournament so far, while West Indies’ total was their highest batting score in T20 World Cup, and the biggest of the tournament so far.

In fact, the 332 runs scored across both innings, was also the highest match aggregate involving West Indies and Afghanistan in a T20I.

Scores: West Indies: 218-5 (20 overs); Afghanistan 114 all out (16.2 overs)

Johnson Charles 43 from 27 balls had eight boundaries

After being asked to bat by Afghanistan, West Indies lost Brandon King (seven) in the second over, but it did little to halt their momentum, as Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran both clicked into top gear, in the blink of an eye.

Charles struck three boundaries in the third over, which inspired Pooran to do something truly out of this world at the change of ends. The wicketkeeper/batsman produced a 36-run over off Azmatullah Omarzai –6, 5NB, 5WD, 0, 4LB, 4, 6, 6 –being the sequence.

It’s the fifth time in Men’s T20I history an over has gone for 36 runs, and the second time at a World Cup.

The punishment continued, as the pair pushed West Indies to 92 for 1 at the six-over mark. It’s the biggest Powerplay total in Men’s T20 World Cup history.

Charles smacked another boundary that took West Indies to 100 from 7.4 overs, before he was dismissed to end an 80-run stand that took just six overs.

Shai Hope’s 17-ball 25, which had two sixes, helped the run rate stay in double digits, as Pooran raised the bat in the 14th over – his 50 came off just 31 balls and it was his first half-century in a T20 World Cup.

The boundaries had dried up in the middle overs courtesy of Afghanistan’s spinners, who gradually pulled things back, before captain Rovman Powell, who contributed 26 off 15 balls, including two sixes and a four, started finding his range – a six to start the 16th over took the Windies past the 150 mark.

Pooran found his groove again in the 17th over, and later cracked 24 runs off the 18th bowled by Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan. The Trinidadian southpaw later fell via the run out route, two runs shy of what would have been a well-deserved century.

Set a mammoth target, Afghanistan tried to set sail towards it, but lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz (zero), who lobbed to Andre Russell off Hosein’s third ball of the first over.

Gulbadin Naib and Ibrahim Zadran briefly steadied the ship at 45-1 at the end of the Powerplay, before Motie removed the former for seven, and triggered a collapse.

Wickets fell at regular intervals, as Afghanistan slipped to 66-5 at the half-way mark and never really recovered. Zadran’s 38 off 28 balls, including five fours and a solitary six, was the highlight of the innings, with Omarzai’s 19-ball 23 and captain Khan’s 18, being the next best scores.

Afghanistan's strong start to the T20 World Cup continued on Friday as they dismantled New Zealand with an 84-run victory in Guyana.

It is now two wins in two for Afghanistan, who enjoyed another impressive opening stand as Rahmanullah Gurbaz plundered 80 off 56 balls, including five fours and five boundaries, with Ibrahim Zardan adding 44.

Azmatullah Omarzai's dismissal for 22 saw Afghanistan stumble, but with a respectable 159-6, it was always going to be hard for New Zealand to chase.

The 2021 runners-up could not find their footing, with only two of their players reaching double figures – Glenn Phillips top-scored with 18.

They stumbled to 75 all out in just 15.2 overs, suffering their first T20 international defeat to Afghanistan, and they drop to the bottom of Group C.

Elsewhere, Bangladesh survived a scare to make a winning start to their campaign, getting a two-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Dallas.

Pathum Nissanka impressed with 47 off just 28 balls, but a flurry of late wickets saw Sri Lanka stumble to 124-9 after a strong start.

Bangladesh’s chase started poorly, with both openers being dismissed in the first two overs. However, after Towhid Hridoy's 40, and Liton Das' 36, Mahmudullah's 16 not out helped them over the line at the end of the 19th over.

Data Debrief: Dominant Afghanistan strike again

Afghanistan have opened an ICC Men's T20 World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins for just the second time, last doing so in 2016. They have now won their last four T20Is, their longest streak since 2022. 

Gurbaz hit 50 for the second game in a row, improving on his 76 runs in their win over Uganada with 80 in this win. 

A blazing half-century from Rovman Powell helped lift Peshawar Zalmi to a 24-run victory over Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League at Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

Powell smashed six fours and four sixes in a 34-ball 64 that propelled Peshawar Zalmi to 197-5 from their 20 overs.

The final score was testament to a remarkable recovery after Mohammad Amir had dismissed Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam for ducks in the opening first over and Saim Ayub for one in his second to have Peshawar Zalmi reeling at 3-2 in the third over.

The repair work began with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Haseebullah Khan who counter-attacked with aplomb, the latter racing to an even 50 from just 29 balls from which he hit four fours and three sixes during their partnership of 82.

He was eventually dismissed by Tabraiz Shamsi, which brought Powell to the crease.

The Jamaican picked up from where Khan left off plundering the Karachi Kings bowling during a partnership of 85 from 51 balls before Amir had him caught behind in the 19^th over. By then Peshawar Zalmi has recovered to 169-5.

Aamer Jamal and Kohler-Cadmore added 28 from the last nine balls to what turned out to be the winning total. Kohler-Cadmore remained unbeaten on 56 while Jamal got his unbeaten 13 from just five balls.

Mohammad Amir was the pick of the bowlers taking 4-26.

The Karachi Kings made a proper go at the target with opener Matthew Wade scoring 53. However, they lost wickets regularly which slowed their momentum despite an unbeaten 57 from Imad Wasim, who clubbed 10 fours and a six in his 30-ball knock.

Azmatullah Omarzai and Jamal did the damage for Peshawar Zalmi with hauls of 3-28 and 3-43, respectively that ripped apart the Karachi Kings middle order.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman played his part dismissing Wade and Irfan Kkan to return figures of 2-28 as Karachi Kings ran out of balls at 173-8.