South Africa defeats Afghanistan by 9 wickets in T20 World Cup semi-final

TAROUBA: In Afghanistan vs South Africa semi-final clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 on Thursday, South Africa defeated Afghanistan by 9 wickets and secured a spot in the finals.

Cricket fans at the the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago must have expected a long, nail-biting match as Afghanistan displayed in a surprise upset over Australia, but things quickly turned.

Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first. The decision put Afghanistan under immediate pressure as they aimed to set a strong total against their formidable opponents.

However, the South Asian team were only able to score a mere 56 runs before the South African decimated them all out in just 11.5 overs!

Read more: T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan’s nail biting victory against Australia

Even in their math against Australia, it was Afghan bowlers that helped win the match while their batters put on a poor performance. In Afghanistan vs South Africa semi-final, all the pressure was put on the bowlers again.

Here’s where a dilemma arose: while Afghan bowlers took their time to restrict the Australian batsmen to a triple-digit score, they faced a starkly different challenge with a mere 57-run target. With only 20 overs to apply pressure, merely restricting runs wasn’t sufficient. Even if South African batters stalled, the sheer number of balls available meant they could easily chase down the target.

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The match began with high stakes for Afghanistan, but they faced early setbacks. In a dramatic start, opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz departed without scoring in the very first over.

The momentum swung further in South Africa’s favour when Gulbuddin Naib fell for 9 runs off 8 balls in the second over, leaving Afghanistan reeling at the crease.

As the Afghan innings progressed, Ibrahim Zadran’s brief stint ended with just 2 runs off 5 balls in the third over, courtesy of a sharp delivery from Kagiso Rabada. The pressure intensified as Mohammad Nabi, a key middle-order batsman, also failed to open his account, adding to Afghanistan’s woes.

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Led by captain Rashid Khan, the Afghan squad includes seasoned players like Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, and Naveen-ul-Haq, who would be crucial in steering their team towards a competitive total against South Africa’s potent bowling attack.

Meanwhile, South Africa, captained by Aiden Markram, boasts a strong lineup featuring Quinton de Kock, David Miller, and Kagiso Rabada among others, known for their ability to deliver under pressure in major tournaments.