In the case of such exciting cricket matches, it is hard to imagine any more interesting rivals than the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats. It may not be as historic as some others of this head-to-head variety, but in this matchup, rawness meets experience. Partnership of Afghanistan, one of the younger competitors in global cricket, offers introductions, highly technical spinners, and uncertainty. Conversely, South Africa boasts decades of its elite cricket history, top world players, and tactical advantage.
This blog post provides an in-depth analysis of the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats, comparing their head-to-head results, batting and bowling performance, World Cup stats, and more. As an enthusiast of the game of cricket or a sports analyst, these facts will assist you in realizing which of the two teams rates better on the world platform.
Key Points:
- Recently, there has been an impressive change in Afghanistan.
- South Africa enjoys a comfortable margin in the number of wins they.
- The major strength of Afghanistan is spin bowling, whereas South Africa depends on pace.
What is the Past Record of Afghanistan and South Africa?
The Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team encounters have not been numerous, yet they left a firm impression on both the audience and the experts. Bilateral series between these two sides remain a rarity, but they have confronted each other most frequently at the ICC tournaments.
They have played just a few matches, in terms of formats, as of 2025. Most of their confrontations have occurred in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and the T20 World Cup events. Being a country with an able cricketing infrastructure and players with vast experience, South Africa has had the advantage in the majority of encounters. But the rise of Afghanistan as a cricketing nation has been phenomenal, particularly in the shorter games.
Now, here is a short head-to-head table of their matches played in various formats:
| Format | Matches Played | Afghanistan Wins | South Africa Wins | No Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| T20I | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Test | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Matches | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
These figures tell us how things have gone well so far in favour of South Africa, but one should keep in mind that the development of Afghanistan has been quite young compared to that of the Proteas since they joined the ICC as full members in 2017.
What do the Batting Stats Say about Both Teams?
Batting forms the core of any successful cricket team, and analyzing the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats in this area offers some interesting insights.
The batting unit of South Africa has been quite strong at the top and has been regularly performing such great players like AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, and Quinton de Kock. Their overall batting strike rate and persistence in partnership making provide them a very good platform.
On the contrary, batting of Afghanistan has lacked consistency. Although players such as Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Ibrahim Zadran have played well in crucial situations, the batting collapses are no strangers.
The critical statistics about their batting are compared in their few matches:
| Batting Metric | Afghanistan | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Highest Team Total (ODI) | 125 | 209 |
| Top Individual Score | 45 (Rahmat Shah) | 79* (Quinton de Kock) |
| Average Batting Score per Match | 140 | 210 |
| Total 50+ Scores (Combined) | 0 | 3 |
Remark: The advantage of Afghanistan is in the play of the bowler rather than the batter, at least in ODIs.
It is observed that South Africa is considerably ahead in terms of batting. Nevertheless, owing to exposure to high-quality cricket on a regular basis, the batting strength of Afghanistan has improved steadily.
Whose bowling appears superior in the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats?
One of the most talked-about comparisons in the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats is in the bowling department. The arsenals of both teams are quite different in terms of bowlers. South Africa and Afghanistan have their own legends in the world of fast and spin bowlers, respectively.
South Africa has also been able to produce pacers such as Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, and, in the past, Dale Steyn. They are also deadly in their seam (particularly when the pitches bounce and have pace on them). The fact that South Africa has managed to scalp wickets during powerplays and death overs has earned them wins.
In Afghanistan, the bowling is spin-based. In the world of cricket, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi are known to be very good wicket takers, particularly in T20s. They have a very effective spin trio, which has always limited the powerful batting line-ups.
Fact to remember: The strength of bowlers will always be compared in terms of pitch conditions; the spinners perform best when the pitch is dry, and pacers on green pitches.
So, a brief review of the bowling performance of both teams:
| Bowling Metric | Afghanistan | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Best Bowling Figures (ODI) | 3/46 (Rashid Khan) | 4/39 (Kagiso Rabada) |
| Bowling Economy (Avg) | 5.2 | 4.9 |
| Total Wickets in H2H Matches | 16 | 24 |
| Dot Ball Percentage | 54% | 59% |
South Africa is still the leader in terms of the overall wickets, but the economy rate and controlling the middle overs using spinners is good in Afghanistan.
Have the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats included any ICC World Cup clashes?
The World Cup competitions held by the ICC have been the greatest platform for interactions between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team and the South Africa National Cricket Team. In the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, they had to encounter one another.
South Africa won it on both occasions. There was rain in the game of 2019 edition; however, South Africa overcame a small target quite comfortably. In 2023, they did the same, beating their record and dashing through Afghanistan batters with a crazy pace attack.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, did not lose experience. Their players were quite brilliant, especially when it came to bowling and fielding. This is a learning curve because, just like it happened when playing against elite teams such as South Africa, their performance against other leading powers has improved.
Their summary statistics of the World Cup game:
| Year | Winner | Margin | Man of the Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | South Africa | 9 Wickets | Imran Tahir |
| 2023 | South Africa | 6 Wickets | Quinton de Kock |
Such competitions were of utmost importance to the familiarization of Afghanistan and will certainly influence further games.
What may happen in the future to impact the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats?
Looking at the trend in the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats, one can predict that future matches will be more competitive. Afghanistan is rapidly rising, especially in the white ball. Their youthful team, together with senior talent, can easily make any team in the top tier play on any particular day.
South Africa is still stable and organized. Their internal paradigm still gives rise to the best in the world, and whenever they have the right leadership in place, they never disappoint in ICC events.
The upcoming matches of these two teams would probably be based on Afghanistan’s spin against South Africa’s batting. When Afghanistan beefs up its batting department and ensures that young talents bloom, the country may experience some exciting games.
Also, bilateral series may contribute towards more games between the two teams, which will provide cricket fans with more thrilling cricket.
Conclusion
The battle between the Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team stats is more than just numbers—it represents the evolution of cricket itself. Whether it be an established side such as South Africa against an emerging nation such as Afghanistan, the difference is clear as well as thrilling.
Afghanistan is catching up with South Africa each year, although South Africa leads in charting most of the statistics. The developmental trend bodes well with regard to a more competitive future. As the number of ICC tournaments and even the potential bilateral series environment grows, spectators will be able to enjoy the exciting matches between the veterans and raw talent.
Tip: Do not watch the game, but read the statistics, and a whole new world of cricket will open up to you!
FAQ’s
1. Afghanistan and South Africa, how many times have they played in international cricket?
As of 2025, they have competed in 3 matches: 2 One-day International matches and 1 T20I.
2. Which of Afghanistan and South Africa has a better win record?
They have a 100 percent winning record in all the matches that they have played, having defeated South Africa in every game.
3. Which is the best bowler in the Afghanistan and South Africa matches?
Kagiso Rabada is working on influential shows, but Rashid Khan has managed to impress with his spell as well.
4. Did Afghanistan ever have a chance to defeat South Africa?
Although Afghanistan has not defeated South Africa and has so far managed to do so, they have demonstrated potential, especially in their bowling side.
5. Which are the forthcoming matches between Afghanistan and South Africa?
None are currently official, although both ICC tournament games and bilateral series are possible to take place in the near future.