AFG vs SA | Twitter enthralled as Rabada celebrates winning intense battle against Zadran with fierce send off

 deliA‌fghanistan found themselves in murky waters atthe end of the powerplay in a tricky chase of 316 with both their openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, back in the hut. The former was the first to fall in his attempt to hit Lungi Ngidi out of the attack and managing a gorgeous boundary dancing down the track, only for the same approach on the next delivery to be foiled by a sharp bumper and an easy catch at short fine leg. Ibrahim, meanwhile, stayed for a much longer 29 deliveries and scored 17 runs in the process until he was outdone by a charged up Kagiso Rabada who seemed to have walked out intent on scalping the opener.

It all began as soon as Temba Bavuma handed the ball for the first time to Rabada in the eighth over with Ibrahim on strike. After a wide, the pacer strung together four dot balls in a row, the latest of which thumped Zadran in the pads and earned him an earful. Nevertheless, the Afghan batter remained unperturbed and rotated strike the next delivery but the challenge was only just beginning as he found himself on strike again in Rabada's ensuing over. The quick began with two more plays and misses as Zadran slashed hard at a bumper on the second time of asking and his failure only brought from criticism from the bowler. However, the Afghan opener responded in style with a gorgeous hit down the ground and for the first time in his battle had the upper edge.

The victory was as fleeting as they come, for Zadran had now drawn the ire of Rabada. The veteran steamed in and sent down a length delivery at 148.8ks, the second fastest ever in tournament history, that beat a backing down Zadran's outside edge and smashed into the stumps to send the bails flying. As the distraught batter walked past Rabada to head for the pavilion, the Proteas made sure to give the batter some final remarks before celebrating the triumph with an emphatic headshake, much to Twitterati's amusement.

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