CARDIFF, Wales (Reuters) – South Africa finally got a World Cup win under their belt as they eased to a nine-wicket triumph over Afghanistan at Sophia Gardens yesterday to keep alive their hopes of a semi-final berth.

Leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 4-29 as he engineered an Afghani collapse after a 75-minute rain break as they were dismissed for 125. Chris Morris contributed with figures of 3-13 and Andile Phehlukwayo took two wickets for 18.

The South Africans then set about the slightly adjusted target of 127 from 48 overs in cautious fashion, reaching 131-1 with 19 overs to spare.

Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock put together a 104-run opening wicket partnership before de Kock was dismissed for 68.

SCOREBOARD
AFGHANISTAN innings
Hazratullah Zazai c van der Dussen b Rabada 22
Noor Ali Zadran b Imran Tahir 32
Rahmat Shah lbw b Morris 6
Hashmatullah Shahidi c du Plessis b Phehlukwayo 8
Asghar Afghan c & b Imran Tahir 0
Mohammad Nabi b Phehlukwayo 1
Ikram Alikhil c Amla b Morris 9
Gulbadin Naib c Markram b Imran Tahir 5
Rashid Khan c van der Dussen b Imran Tahir 35
Hamid Hassan c du Plessis b Morris 0
Aftab Alam not out 0
Extras: (lb-4, w-3) 7
Total: (all out, 34.1 overs) 125
Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-56, 3-69, 4-69, 5-70 , 6-70, 7-77, 8-111, 9-125.
Bowling: K. Rabada 8-1-36-1, B. Hendricks 5-1-25-0, A. Phehlukwayo 8-1-18-2, C. Morris 6.1-2-13-3, Imran Tahir 7-0-29-4
SOUTH AFRICA innings
H. Amla not out 41
Q. de Kock c Mohammad Nabi b Gulbadin Naib 68
A. Phehlukwayo not out 17
Extras: (lb-1, w-4) 5
Total: (1 wicket, 28.4 overs) 131
Fall of wickets: 1-104.
Bowling: Aftab Alam 5-1-16-0, Hamid Hassan 4-1-11-0, Rashid Khan 7-0-45-0, Gulbadin Naib 6-0-29-1, Mohammad Nabi 6.4-0-29-0.