South Africa pacers and Rickelton's ton overwhelm Afghanistan in Champions Trophy

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Opener Ryan Rickelton’s maiden one-day international century earned South Africa a 107-run victory over Champions Trophy debutant Afghanistan on Friday.

Rickelton hit 103 off 106 balls and four of the top five batters scored at least half-centuries in South Africa's 315-6 total.

The hard surface had plenty of cracks perfectly suited to the four-pronged South Africa pace attack and Afghanistan crumbled to 208 all out in 43.3 overs.

Victory ended South Africa's six-match losing streak in ODIs.

“Clinical performance,” Proteas captain Temba Bavuma said. “We got the rub of the green with the toss but it was a brave decision to bat first not knowing how (the pitch) would play, (but) we took care of that.”

South Africa suffered a blow before the Group B game when Heinrich Klaasen was ruled out by an elbow injury, but replacement Rassie van der Dussen struck a brisk 52 off 46 balls.

The South Africa pacers exploited Afghanistan's top order weakness against short balls.

Kagiso Rabada consistently hit the right lengths and knocked over the middle stump of Ibrahim Zadran off a delivery that was measured at 148 kph.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Mohammad Nabi all were caught from pull shots and, in between, Rabada cramped Azmatullah Omarzai with another short ball down the legside and got him caught behind for 18.

At that point, Afghanistan sunk to 89-5 in the 23rd over.

“The batting was not good enough today,” Shahidi said. “We have the ability to fight but we didn’t play the way we wanted. We have two games (left) so we will forget what happened and look forward.”

Rahmat Shah top-scored with 90 off 92 balls and Rashid Khan briefly gave hundreds of Afghan supporters cheer in National Bank Stadium with three boundaries and a six in his 18.

“He played really well in tough times, we will take that as a positive," Shahidi said.

Rabada picked up 3-36 that included the last wicket of Shah, while Lungi Ngidi (2-56), Wiaan Mulder (2-36) and Marco Jansen (1-32) also bowled at tight lengths.

Rickelton’s flawless century propelled South Africa to its second highest total in the Champions Trophy, short by just one run to its 316-5 against Kenya in 2002 at Colombo.

Captain Temba Bavuma (58) continued his fine run of form and laid a solid platform for Van der Dussen (52) and Aiden Markram (52 not out) to score better than run-a-ball half-centuries.

Rickelton and Bavuma combined for 129 runs off 142 balls for the second wicket after Mohammad Nabi (2-51) removed Tony de Zorzi when the left-hander swatted the off-spinner’s very first ball straight to mid-on.

Rickelton and Bavuma negated the spin threat of Rashid Khan, who couldn’t get enough purchase from a pitch that had a tinge of grass. Both batters rotated the strike well with singles and twos and were quick to punish loose balls for boundaries.

Bavuma, who struck five boundaries, successfully overturned an on-field leg before wicket decision against him but was dismissed off Nabi’s next ball when he holed out at deep mid-wicket in the 29th over.

Rickelton, in his seventh ODI, raised a mature century off 101 balls with a single and also became the first South Africa batter to score a hundred in his Champions Trophy debut. He hit seven fours and a six before he was run out in bizarre fashion.

Rickelton smashed a length ball by Rashid straight back to the bowler but couldn’t regain his ground as Rashid fired a flat throw to the wicketkeeper, who dislodged the bails in quick time.

“I was quite nervous coming in,” Rickelton said. “To contribute to the team and set us up for a win is something I’m very chuffed with … bounce was a bit inconsistent but you adjust accordingly.”

Van der Dussen came into the game with not-so-impressive recent ODI performances but went hard at Rashid and scored his first half-century since November 2023, also against Afghanistan.

Markram’s power-hitting in the death overs saw the South Africans rattle up 85 runs in the last 10 overs. Markram struggled early but cut loose against the pace of Fazalhaq Farooqi, whom he smashed for three successive boundaries in the 48th over.

Wiaan Mulder provided a perfect finish with a four and a six off Farooqi's last two balls to complete a daunting total.

On Saturday, two-time champion Australia takes on England in Lahore.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi, right, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of South Africa's Temba Bavuma during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi, front, walks off the field after his dismissal during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Lungi Ngidi, left, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Aiden Markram, center, follows the ball after playing a shot for six runs as Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz watches during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Ryan Rickelton plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Ryan Rickelton, left, is congratulated by Rassie van der Dussen celebrates after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Marco Jansen, right, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Kagisco Rabada, left, reacts after the dismissal of Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Kagisco Rabada bowls during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

South Africa's Ryan Rickelton celebrates after scoring century during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa, in Karachi, Pakistan Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian federal prosecutors said Thursday they have arrested several individuals as part of a corruption probe linked to the European Parliament amid reports in local media that Chinese company Huawei bribed EU lawmakers.

Some 100 federal police officers carried out 21 searches in Brussels as well as in Flanders, Wallonia and Portugal, the federal prosecutor’s office said.

The suspects were arrested for questioning in “connection with their alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament, as well as for forgery and use of forgeries,” prosecutors said. “The offences were allegedly committed by a criminal organization.”

According to an investigation by Le Soir newspaper and other media, lobbyists working for Chinese telecoms giant Huawei are suspected of bribing current or former MEPs to promote the company’s commercial policy in Europe.

Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The federal prosecutor's office, which did not name Huawei, said that corruption is believed to have been practiced “regularly and very discreetly from 2021 to the present day, and taking various forms, such as remuneration for taking political positions or excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches."

Police seized several documents and objects during the searches.

This is the second corruption case targeting the EU Parliament in less than three years. In December 2022, the legislature was left reeling after a corruption scandal in which Qatari officials accused of bribing EU officials to play down labor rights concerns ahead of the soccer World Cup.

The scandal scarred the reputation of the EU’s only institution comprised of officials elected directly in the 27 member countries. It undermined the assembly’s claim to the moral high ground in its own investigations, such as into allegations of corruption in member country Hungary.

The impact of the scandal is still being felt, with the parliament due to rule soon on whether to lift the immunity of two more lawmakers who were implicated

According to Follow The Money, an investigative journalism platform, one of the main suspects in the latest probe is 41-year-old Valerio Ottati, a Belgian-Italian lobbyist who joined Huawei in 2019. Before becoming Huawei’s EU Public Affairs Director, Ottati was an assistant to two Italian MEPs who were both members of a European Parliament group dealing with China policy, Follow the Money reported.

FILE - People wait in line to visit the European Parliament during Europe Day celebrations in Brussels on May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)