Afghanistan Opt to Bat First in Bid to Seal Series Against South Africa
Afghanistan, seeking to clinch the series against South Africa, opted to bat first in the second ODI in Sharjah. The decision was likely influenced by the scorching heat, with temperatures reaching 49 degrees Celsius. By fielding at night, Afghanistan aimed to conserve energy and avoid the worst of the weather conditions.
South Africa, on the other hand, made several changes to their lineup. Captain Temba Bavuma returned from illness, while debutant legspinner Nqaba Peter was included. Reeza Hendricks moved down the order to accommodate Bavuma, while Jason Smith was dropped. The bowling attack was also altered, with three seamers and two spinners replacing the four seamers and one spinner combination from the first match.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, made only one change, bringing in wicketkeeper-batter Ikram Alikhil for Gulbadin Naib. Their lineup featured three frontline spinners in Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, and Nangyal Kharote, along with two seamers.