Karachi, South Africa defeated Afghanistan by 107 runs in the Champions Trophy Group B match here on Friday with the first ODI century of opener Ryan Rickleton (103 runs) and the brilliant performance of the fast bowlers. South Africa won the toss and batted and scored 315 runs for six wickets with the help of Rickleton's century and half-centuries from three batsmen.

Rahmat Shah (90) was the only batsman for Afghanistan who played well at the crease but he did not get support from the other end. Apart from him, the second best score was 18 runs. Losing wickets continuously, the whole team was reduced to 208 runs in 43.3 overs. In this way, Afghanistan had to face defeat in their debut match in the Champions Trophy.

Among the fast bowlers for South Africa, Kagiso Rabada took three wickets, Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder took two wickets each while Marco Jansen took one wicket.

Earlier, Rickleton displayed aggressive batting and faced 106 balls and hit seven fours and a six in his innings. Rickleton along with captain Temba Bavuma (58 runs) made a century partnership of 129 runs for the second wicket.

Apart from Bavuma (76 balls, five fours), Rassie van der Dussen (52 runs, three fours, two sixes) and Aiden Markram (52 ​​not out, six fours, one six) also played half-century innings for the team and took the team to a big score.

The ground was full of Afghanistan supporters. The performance of Afghanistan bowlers was not up to their reputation in which Rashid Khan did not get any wicket who gave 59 runs in 10 overs.

For the team, experienced spinner Mohammad Nabi took two wickets for 51 runs while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Noor Ahmed got one wicket each.

Left-handed batsman Rickleton showed good footwork against spinner Rashid and Nabi and Chinaman Noor Ahmed and did not let them put pressure on him. This wicketkeeper batsman also gave a good view of his strong backfoot and hit cut and pull shots.

But he was unlucky in the 36th over and got run out. He flicked Rashid's ball back and wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz took the ball and dropped the stumps. This batsman dived quickly but when the stumps fell, his bat was in the air.

Rickleton and Bavuma's partnership broke, but he got another good partner in the form of Van der Dussen. Van der Dussen ensured that South Africa did not miss Heinrich Klaasen and Tristan Stubbs. Klaasen is out of this match due to injury.

Markram then quickly scored an unbeaten 52 runs in 36 balls with six fours and a six. In the 48th over, Markram hit three consecutive fours off left-arm fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqui to help South Africa cross the 300-run mark. Afghanistan did not have a good start, the team lost four wickets within 50 runs.

Rahmat Shah played cautiously at one end and scored 90 runs in 92 balls with nine fours and a six. But he could not complete his century. Captain Hasmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Rashid Khan scored 18-18 runs.