In a thrilling T10 opener at Cape Town, South Africa produced a dominant all-round display to defeat Afghanistan by 45 runs, taking an emphatic 1–0 lead in the 3-match series. Batting first, the Proteas unleashed explosive power as Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma, and David Miller teed off with fearless strokeplay, while Wayne Parnell’s blistering 31 off 12* provided a perfect finishing punch to lift South Africa to a formidable 145/7 in 10 overs.
Afghanistan’s bowlers had moments of brilliance, especially Karim Janat, who delivered a standout performance with 3/31 and later smashed 18 off 7, earning the Man of the Match award. However, their batting line-up faltered under pressure as early strikes from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen crippled the chase. Despite a spirited 25 from Najibullah Zadran and aggressive hitting from Azmatullah Omarzai, Afghanistan were bowled out for 100 in 8.4 overs.
With clinical bowling from Simon Harmer (3/20) and sharp fielding sealing the win, South Africa now stand in a commanding position, holding a 1–0 advantage in the T10 series and carrying strong momentum into the next game.