South Africa vs Afghanistan Match Highlights & Results

Sunday. June 16. When probably, not just Asia, but the entire world stands still. Because India take on Pakistan. Finish off your chores for the day, take good rest, get some lunch, drinks, popcorn, whatever you wish and be ready on your seats - the action begins at 10.30 am local (0930 GMT) in Manchester. Do do do tune in. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!

Double header number 4 of this World Cup ends! Australia trounced Sri Lanka while South Africa slowly got past Afghanistan to finally make a move on in the points table. They move to 7th while Australia are up at number 1.

Victorious South African captain, Faf du Plessis, feels that the Proteas performed much better today, with more intensity. On the slow approach, Faf says that they needed some runs under the belt, hence the need to bat out the first 10 overs carefully. Praises the bowlers for bowling well in the middle overs and also Tahir, for doing extremely well even on grounds with short boundaries. On the approach regarding the net run rate, du Plessis says that the initial thought was to see off the first 10 overs and then once the opening stand was past 70, Andile Phehlukwayo was padded up to finish off the game quickly. Is hoping that the team builds some confidence from this game.

Afghanistan skipper, Gulbadin Naib, manages a smile despite the defeat. Rues his luck on losing the toss and praises his side for starting well and putting up a fight. Admits that the Imran Tahir spell completely took them by surprise and is disappointed that the excellent start was wasted. Puts the onus on the batsmen to get 50-run partnerships. On Rashid Khan's innings, Gulbadin marvels at the team's batting depth which goes upto 9 but is quick to point out that the ones above Rashid need to take some responsibility and bat deeper, not throwing wickets away. On the team change today, Naib says that Najibullah was not performing too well in the last 2 games and Afghan is a senior, hence the change. Hopes to have Zadran back in form. On their next game against England, Naib hopes that something goes their way.

IMRAN TAHIR HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE MATCH. Says that he is really pleased with his job today but overall, he is happy to have contributed to the team's win. Stresses that the team was up for an on-off game and wanted to play with the same intensity after any such rain break. Praises the fast bowlers for setting up the tone. On the grass on the wicket, Tahir says that he knew he was not going to get any turn, so only looked to keep it wicket-to-wicket. Feels lucky that his experiments came out fruitful. On his celebrations, Immy says that he enjoys every wicket and feels that is the only way he can enjoy himself. Hopes to carry this momentum into the next game in Birmingham. On his battle with Rashid Khan, Tahir says that the Afghan leggie played a few good shots but now, he can run and whisper into his ear that he got his wicket.

Tough day at the office for Afghanistan. Started well with the bat, but then lost their way after the second rain break. With the ball, they barely could do much and had to settle with a solitary wicket. Rashid Khan could do nothing much with the ball either. Please stay tuned for the presentation.

After his half century, de Kock tried to finish the game off quickly but could not quite do so. Hashim Amla played a curious Warneresque innings, with his strike rate being even below 50. Certainly was not his own self. But at the end of the day, victory by 9 wickets and 116 balls to spare will be taken by the Proteas.

On a pitch which had juice, 125 might have been challenging. Might have been. But the sunshine during the innings break, wiped out any juice on offer. It was a nice pancake baked for the Proteas and the openers just feasted. Strangely though, they did not feel the need to accelerate and took their own sweet time to score.

The game ends at last. South Africa have laboured and laboured but eventually got those 2 crucial points. Perhaps they did not feel the need to go hammer and tongs, concentrating more on the win.

SIX! First six of the game and it will be the only one as Phehlukwayo finishes off in style. Tossed up on middle and off, Andile comes down the track and heaves it over long off for a maximum. SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY 9 WICKETS (DLS METHOD)

Floated on the stumps, Andile defends it.

On the pads, Hashim flicks it to the on side and gets a single.

Tossed up on off, Amla nudges it to mid on.

We will have another over in this game, at least. Good length ball on middle and leg, Andile pulls it to mid-wicket.

Full on middle, Phehlukwayo looks to drive but gets an inside edge onto his pads.

WIDE! Sprays it down the leg side, Phehlukwayo looks to flick but misses. Wide signalled. Afghanistan players think it has flicked his pad.

Yorker on middle. Phehlukwayo does well to get his bat down in time. Aftab has a word with Andile. Don't know why he did that.

WIDE! Over does the bouncer. This one goes over his head and it has been wided.

Bouncer! Around the body and it on the eye line. Phehlukwayo sways away from it.

Back of a length ball on middle, Amla was initially looking to leave it but then plays the upper cut towards third man and gets a single.

Full on off, Amla pushes it to mid off.

Aftab Alam is back! Will it be the last over of the game?

On middle, Andile looks to play it on the off side but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Tossed up on middle, Amla milks it to long on for a single.

In the air but safe. Floated on off, Phehlukwayo lofts it wide of long off. Zazai there does not go for the catch and they take just a single.

On the pads, Amla turns it square on the leg side and gets a single.

On middle again, Amla flicks it to mid-wicket and takes a single.

On middle and leg, Amla flicks it to the man at mid-wicket.

FOUR! Crunched. On off, Phehlukwayo punches it hard through point for a boundary.

Outside off and quicker, Phehlukwayo looks to play the reverse sweep but misses.

Flighted on middle, Amla milks it down to long on and gets to the other end.

Full toss. A low one, Amla taps it to the man at mid on.

Shorter on middle and leg, Phehlukwayo strokes it towards cover and takes a single.

FOUR! Phehlukwayo has struck that really well. Tossed up on off, Andile gets down on one knee and sweeps it over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Full and around off, watchfully defended.

Landed outside off, Amla looks to run it down to third man but is beaten due to the extra bounce.

The batsman has played that off the front foot and into the ground.

Shorter in length, punched down to long on for a run.

Tossed up outside off, Phehlukayo has a wild heave but there is no pace on the ball. An inside edge is eked towards short fine leg.

Short and outside off, punched behind point for a single.

On the pads, Phehlukwayo misses his flick and gets hit on the pads.

Tossed up on middle, Phehlukwayo brings out the reverse sweep but hits it to the man at backward point.

WIDE! Rashid misses his mark and sprays it down the leg side. Andile looks to flick but misses.

On off, Amla pushes it towards sweeper cover and gets a single.

Flighted on middle and leg, Amla defends it with straight bat.

Flighted on off, Amla pushes it to the man at mid off.

Floated on the stumps, Amla blocks it.

Rashid Khan is back!

Full and outside off, pushed towards mid on. 5 runs and a wicket from the over.

South Africa doing an England. Andile Phehlukwayo comes in at number 3, with 23 needed.

OUT! Caught! Sharp catch from Mohammad Nabi. This won't be a 10-wicket win then. Full and around middle and leg, de Kock whips it away again, this time through mid-wicket but cannot quite keep it down, nor find the gap. Mohammad Nabi takes a good catch at short mid-wicket to his right, reacting swiftly. Then complains to the keeper that the sun was in his eyes. De Kock walks back with a wry smile. Must have been eyeing a not out.

FOUR! Full and down the leg side, de Kock flicks it behind square leg and the ball races away to the fence.

Full and outside off, driven through the covers for a single.

Outside off, pushed towards point.

On a length outside off, defended watchfully.

On middle and leg, de Kock flicks it to the man at mid-wicket.

On the pads, Amla turns it to the on side and gets a single.

Floated on the stumps, HA blocks it.

On the pads, Quinton flicks it towards mid-wicket and gets a single.

WIDE! It is way outside off, on the wrong side of the tramline. Wide signalled.

Flighted outside of, de Kock looks to sweep but misses. The ball hits him on his pad but maybe he got an inside edge on it.

Tossed up on off, Amla plays it towards point and gets a single.

Good length ball outside leg, de Kock looks to flick it but it tickles his pads on the way to the keeper.

Good length ball on off, de Kock makes room and looks to heave it over long on. He does not time it well so it does not reach the fence. The man from deep mid-wicket mops it up and they take two.

Once again the length is the same. It is on middle, de Kock hits it straight to the man at mid-wicket.

Full again around off, Amla strokes it wide of mid off and gets a single.

Full on middle, Amla defends it off the front foot.

Good length ball on off, de Kock guides it down to third man and gets a single.

Drinks Break! South Africa need just 36 runs to wrap this up. Getting back in this game for Afghanistan looks next to impossible now. They will still look to get a wicket or two which will boost their confidence.

Outside off, Amla looks to push it but misses.

Follows it up with a solid front foot defense.

FOUR! Excellent shot. A sign of aggression from Amla. Tossed up on the pads, Amla hits it over square leg and gets a boundary.

Shorter on the stumps, de Kock defends it off the back foot.

Flighted around off, de Kock hits it sweetly to sweeper cover for a single.

Tossed up on off, de Kock comes down the track and looks to hit it on the leg side but gets an inside edge onto his pads.

Outside off, Amla punches it to the man at cover.

On the pads, de Kock flicks it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

MISFIELD AND FOUR! This is schoolboy stuff from Afghanistan. Back of a length ball on the body, de Kock pulls it towards deep mid-wicket. Rahmat Shah at deep mid-wicket gets it on a bounce but he misfields it and the ball goes away to the fence.

Outside off and full, Amla strokes it to sweeper cover and takes a run.

Full on off, Amla strokes it to mid on.

Good length ball on off, Amla tucks it to mid-wicket.

Gulbadin Naib is back!

On middle and leg, flicked through mid-wicket for a single.

Around off, worked straight to short mid-wicket.

Around off, pushed back to the bowler.

FOUR! Nicely played. Full and outside off, Amla gets his bat down and gently reverse sweeps it through the vacant slip cordon to the third man fence.

Full and outside leg, flicked through mid-wicket for a run.

Full and outside off, Amla looks to flick but gets a leading edge towards point. A single taken.

FOUR! Fifty comes up for de Kock with that boundary. The over ends the way it started. Floated on off, de Kock heaves it over mid-wicket and gets a boundary to reach his second fifty of this World Cup. His 23rd in ODIs.

Floated on off, de Kock defends it off the front foot.

Tossed up on off, de Kock looks to defend but gets an inside edge onto his pads.

On the pads, de Kock flicks it to the man at mid-wicket.

Short on off, de Kock cuts it towards backward point. The fielder misfields there and de Kock is quick between the wickets so he comes back for the second.

FOUR! Rashid is unable to spin his magic here so far. He overpitches it on off, de Kock gets down on one knee and whacks his sweep over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Flatter on off, de Kock blocks it to see off the over.

Now punches it wide of cover and gets a single.

Short on off, de Kock punches it to the man at cover.

Short on off, de Kock cuts it to the man at point.

Oh, almost had their first there. Off spinner on off, de Kock looks to defend but gets an inside edge which misses the stumps as it goes to the fine leg region.

Tossed up on off, de Kock astutely blocks it.