The Afghanistan vs South Africa cricket rivalry is among the interesting and thrilling matches that keep igniting the spirit of the sport. While South Africa, being one of the oldest cricket-playing nations, has an upper hand on Afghanistan, the latter has given tough times to the Proteas. Although the two teams have not played much against each other, their encounters have always been exciting to watch, both for fans and cricket Pundits. The Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team timeline is a testament to the same, and in this blog, we are taking you to revisit the iconic moments and significant players that the teams have produced.
Afghanistan v South Africa in UAE, 2024- Match Results
3 ODIs . Sep 18 – Sep 22
- Sep 18, Wed: AFG vs SA, 1st ODI – Afghanistan won by 6 wkts
- Sep 20, Fri: AFG vs SA, 2nd ODI – Afghanistan won by 177 runs
- Sep 22, Sun: AFG vs SA, 3rd ODI – South Africa won by 7 wkts
Early Encounter
In comparison to South Africa, Afghanistan started playing cricket very late. Further, the political instability in the country also created hurdles in their cricket journey. However, Afghanistan has quickly adapted to the pace with other cricketing nations, establishing itself as one of the contenders for the global titles. Afghanistan and South Africa haven’t played any Test matches yet. They encountered each other in the T20I and ODI formats several times.
- 2009-2010 ICC World Twenty20: The first encounter of Afghanistan and South Africa on the ground was held in Barbados on 5th May, 2010. South Africa won the T20I game by 59 runs, thanks to their bowling attack. Morne Morkel was named player of the match for his bowling figures of 3.0-0-20-4.
- 2015-2016 ICC World Twenty20: The Afghan Atalans and the Proteas met again, six years later, for a T20I match in Mumbai. South Africa won the match by 37 runs, posing a target of 210 for the opponents, thanks to the batting skills of AB de Villiers (64). Chris Morris smashed 4 wickets, dismissing key Afghanistani batters including Asghar Afghan.
ODI Rivalry Begins
- 2019 ICC World Cup: The first encounter of Afghanistan and South Africa in ODI format was in 2019 at Sophia Gardens for the 21st match of the tournament. Invited to bat first, Afghanistan were dismissed for 125 all out, thanks to Imran Tahir’s bowling attack, dismissing 4 Afghan batters. Chris Morris also strengthened the Proteas’ bowling force by taking 3 wickets. South Africa pulled off the chase run easily with 1 wicket down. The key player for New Zealand, Quinton de Kock (68), was dismissed by Gulbadin Naib, with crucial support from Hashim Amla (41*) and Andile Phehlukwayo (17*).
- 2023 ICC World Cup: The 42nd match of the tournament saw South Africa and Afghanistan in an intense battle. Opting to bat, Afghanistan produced 244 runs while facing challenges from South African bowlers. The Proteas completed the run chase, with notable efforts by Rassie van der Dussen, who scored an unbeaten 76.
- 2024 ICC T20 World Cup: The Proteas and Afghan Altans met at the Brian Lara Stadium for the 1st semi-final of the World Cup. South African players were successful in limiting Afghanistan’s batters to 56. Reeza Hendricks (29) and Aiden Markram (23) produced a combined result of 52 runs to claim victory for South Africa.
- 2024 Afghanistan v South Africa: Afghanistan and South Africa played a three-match One-Day International series in Sharjah the same year, 2024. Afghanistan won the series 2-1, winning the first two matches of the series. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s opening with 105 runs in the second match is iconic in Afghanistan-South Africa cricket history. Under Hashmatullah Shahidi’s leadership, Azmatullah Omarzai also scored 86 not out, and Rashid Khan took 5 wickets for his side. In response, South Africa won the third game by seven wickets, led by Aiden Markram (69*).
- 2024-2025 ICC Champions Trophy: Afghanistan and South Africa were part of the group stage in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The two teams met in Karachi for the 3rd match. Ryan Rickelton scored 103, with a half-century by Rassie van der Dussen (52), Temba Bavuma (58), and Aiden Markram (52*). With 6 wickets down, the Proteas produced 315 runs. Afghanistan, however, failed to pull off the target and were dismissed for 208 runs.
Read More: India vs Australian Cricket Team Timeline || India Vs England Cricket Team Timeline
Afghanistan vs South Africa Head to Head Record in Tests
Afghanistan and South Africa have yet to play matches in Test cricket.
Afghanistan vs South Africa Head to Head Record in ODI
Afghanistan and South Africa have played 6 matches in the ODI format. While the Proteas won 4 games, Afghanistan emerged victorious in 2 matches.
| Date | Series | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15/06/2019 | 2019 ICC World Cup | Sophia Gardens | South Africa won by 9 wickets |
| 10/11/2023 | 2023 ICC World Cup | Narendra Modi Stadium | South Africa won by 5 wickets |
| 18/09/2024 | 2024 Afghanistan v. South Africa | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Afghanistan won by 6 wickets |
| 20/09/2024 | 2024 Afghanistan v. South Africa | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | Afghanistan won by 177 runs |
| 22/09/2024 | 2024 Afghanistan v. South Africa | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | South Africa won by 7 wickets |
| 21/02/2025 | 2024-2025 ICC Champions Trophy | National Stadium (Karachi) | South Africa won by 107 runs |
Afghanistan vs South Africa Head to Head Record in T20Is
Afghanistan and South Africa encountered thrice in Twenty20 internationals. In all three matches, South Africa were dominant and won all three matches.
| Date | Series | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05/05/2010 | 2009-2010 ICC World Twenty20 | Kensington Oval | South Africa won by 59 runs |
| 20/03/2016 | 2015-2016 ICC World Twenty20 | Wankhede Stadium | South Africa won by 37 runs |
| 26/06/2024 | 2024 ICC T20 World Cup | Brian Lara Stadium | South Africa won by 9 wickets |
Intense matchups and exciting endings are expected to dominate the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team timeline in the future. With the Afghanistan cricket team getting hold of their cricketing skills, the chances of Afghanistan posing difficulties in the way of South Africa are higher. It would be exciting to watch their matches, getting energetic, producing iconic moments, and legendary players.
