South Africa continued their dominant run in the T20 World Cup, thrashing Afghanistan by a massive 9-wicket margin in the first semi-final at Tarouba on Wednesday. Chasing a paltry 57 runs, the Proteas cruised to victory in just 8.5 overs. Notably, the second semifinal will be played between India and England.
Afghanistan, who entered the semi-final after a string of impressive victories, were completely outplayed by a disciplined South African bowling attack. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran fell cheaply, setting the tone for a disastrous batting collapse.
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Marco Jansen, the South African pace bowler, emerged as the wrecker-in-chief, claiming a crucial 3 wickets for just 16 runs in his 3 overs. Spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Kagiso Rabada also chipped in with two wickets each, restricting Afghanistan to a meager total of 56 runs in their allotted 20 overs.
Set a low target of 57 runs, South Africa openers Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks started cautiously. However, de Kock was dismissed early by Fazalhaq Farooqi, the only wicket in Afghan bowling.
South Africa are through to their first Men's #T20WorldCup Final 🙌 pic.twitter.com/KwPr74MUJc
— ICC (@ICC) June 27, 2024
Undeterred, Hendricks and Aiden Markram stitched together an unbeaten partnership to seal the victory for South Africa. Hendricks remained unbeaten on a well-made 29 runs, while Markram contributed a valuable 23 runs. South Africa chased down the target with a staggering 67 balls to spare.
This convincing victory over Afghanistan has further solidified South Africa’s position as favorites to lift the T20 World Cup trophy. They remain unbeaten throughout the tournament, displaying remarkable consistency and resilience. Their bowling attack, spearheaded by the pace duo of Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada, has been exceptional, while their batting line-up boasts depth and experience.
For Afghanistan, this match marks the end of a remarkable journey in the T20 World Cup 2024. They defied expectations by reaching their first-ever World Cup semi-final, defeating strong teams like New Zealand, Australia and Bangladesh along the way. While their batting faltered against a potent South African attack, their spinners, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, showcased their talent and experience.
South Africa will now await the winner of the second semi-final between India and England, scheduled for later today. The final of the T20 World Cup will be played in Barbados on Saturday.
South Africa are in red-hot form and are the clear favorites to win the T20 World Cup 2024 trophy. Afghanistan can be proud of their journey to the semi-final, showcasing their potential on the international stage.
