Rassie van der Dussen's unbeaten 76 guided South Africa to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Afghanistan in their final World Cup group game, eliminating Afghanistan from the semi-final race.
Van der Dussen's innings propelled the Proteas to the target of 245 with 15 balls to spare, providing a tune-up for their upcoming semi-final against Australia.
Azmatullah Omarzai's unbeaten 97 led Afghanistan to a total of 244 all out. Despite needing an unlikely 438-run win to secure a semi-final spot, Afghanistan put up a competitive fight.
In response, Afghanistan's spinners initially disrupted South Africa's progress, but Van der Dussen anchored the innings, forming crucial partnerships. A hamstring concern for skipper Temba Bavuma raised worries ahead of the semi-final.
Gerald Coetzee and Keshav Maharaj starred for South Africa with the ball, while Quinton de Kock's wicketkeeping prowess equaled a World Cup record.
Afghanistan's strong campaign, including victories over defending champions England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands, came to an end under the leadership of Hashmatullah Shahidi. New Zealand are poised to face hosts India in the other semi-final, pending the outcome of Pakistan's match against England.
