Today at the U19 World Cup: Afghanistan secure 7th place finish with comfortable South Africa triumph

Shafiqullah Ghafari took four more wickets for Afghanistan, bringing his tally against the Proteas alone to ten for the tournament and his overall figure to 16

Shafiqullah Ghafari - remember the name...

Watching the various leg-spinners at this Under-19 World Cup has been a rare treat; control of line and length has regularly been matched by fast arm actions and even quicker fingers and wristwork.

India’s Ravi Bishnoi is the last man standing of the three most impressive wrist-spinners to emerge from this tournament. He has taken 13 wickets in five games and a sixth awaits him with the final – against the winner of the semi-final between Bangladesh and New Zealand.

Australia’s Tanveer Sangha is another who has done his burgeoning reputation no harm – continued proof, after Lloyd Pope two years ago, that a nation of leggies is still running a fruitful production line.

And then there is Shafiqullah Ghafari, the Afghan who has caused so many problems to so many increasingly forlorn batsmen.

His 8.3 overs – 51 deliveries of the game’s toughest art – cost him just 15 runs in the seventh place playoff against South Africa. His reward? Four wickets and an utterly bamboozled middle order led one way by his stock ball and then dragged another by a big googly that would rip its way between bat and pad.

That’s 16 wickets now for Ghafari – he won’t get any more, but it is a haul that represents a staggering effort; 16 for 112 from 45.4 overs – an average of seven and an economy rate of just 2.45.

In a group stage encounter against the same opposition, Ghafari ended with figures of 6 for 15. Add that to his haul of 4 for 15 today and he has 10 wickets against the Proteas at an expense of just 30 runs.

In a senior side already featuring Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Qais Ahmad and Zahir Khan, Ghafari’s biggest challenge might just be navigating his way into a side full of world-class spin options.

^{Ghafari proved decisive for Afghanistan}

Afghanistan’s opening pair – a stand for the ages

The class of Ibrahim Zadran should hardly come as any surprise; the 18-year-old has already made his Test debut. Against Bangladesh, in Afghanistan’s landmark Test victory in Chattogram, Zadran made 87.

Here, he looked every inch a cut above the rest. While he began slowly, watchful against South Africa’s opening pair of Merrick Brett and Mondli Khumalo, the low target was such that he could afford to take it as he so desired, especially with his partner, Sediqullah Atal, in full flow at the other end.

The left-handed Atal was a rare treat to watch. His check-drive over mid-off for six might just be the shot of the tournament. He came close to bettering it not long afterwards, clipping another maximum, this time over wide long-on. Two shots of frightening class from an 18-year-old of whom the world will hear much more.

South African persistence falls short

Sometimes, you just don’t have enough runs. South Africa fought hard for long periods to drag themselves back into a game they were, in truth, out of from almost the first moments. They knew they were short. From the moment, 22.5 overs into proceedings, they sat at 81 for 6, having won the toss and opted to bat, this was going to be a tall order.

And without the same potency in their own spin attack – Bryce Parsons and Odirile Modimokoane were both tidy enough with their left-arm spin, they were forever fighting a losing battle.