South Africa were bundled out for 106 in 33.3 overs, having slumped to 7-36 in the 10th over, leaving Afghanistan with a modest target which they easily reached in 26 overs in Wednesday's clash, played in the Middle East.
Gulbadin Naib (34) and Azmatullah Omarzai (25) were not out at the end as they steered Afghanistan home in an unbeaten 47-run partnership.
Fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi and 18-year-old offspinner AM Ghazanfar dominated the top-order to mark an impressive start for Afghanistan in their maiden bilateral ODI series against South Africa.
A half-century from South Africa's No. 7 batter Wiaan Mulder (52) carried them as the top-order wilted against pace and spin after stand-in captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bat.
Farooqi grabbed 4-35 and Ghazanfar, playing in only his third ODI, bowled an unchanged 10-over spell for an impressive return of 3-20 on a dry and slow wicket at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, which was hosting its 250th ODI.
Afghanistan didn't panic, reaching 4-107 in 25 overs despite losing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over.
Naib and Omarzai made the chase seem easy as they smashed two sixes each.
South Africa top-order batters were guilty of playing expansive shots with Markram and Reeza Hendricks both playing Farooqi back onto their stumps and Tony de Zorzi top-edging the left-arm fast bowler to mid-on.
Ghazanfar, who shared the other new ball with Farooqi, sliced through the middle-order with Tristan Stubbs going for a five-ball duck when he edged the off-spinner to the slips.
Jason Smith also fell without scoring in his debut ODI when Ghazanfar rattled the stumps off a superb delivery that spun back into the batter.
And when Andile Phehlukwayo was run out in the 10th over South Africa were in danger to get bowled out for their lowest total of 69 in an ODI before Mulder combined with Bjorn Fortuin (16) and Nandre Burger to carry them beyond the 100-run mark.
Farooqi completed his four-wicket haul when he had Mulder clean bowled off a delivery that kept low.
Ace legspinner Rashid Khan, who came into the attack soon after the powerplay, claimed 2-30 when he had Fortuin clean bowled with a perfect googly and then had Lungi Ngidi trapped leg before wicket on the back foot.
Most of the frontline South Africa white-ball players are either rested or playing in a T20 domestic league in the West Indies.
David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj are playing in the Caribbean Premier League, Kagiso Rabada is rested for the series while Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzer are expected to return in November.
The second match of the series will be played Friday with the final game scheduled for Sunday.
With AP
