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ICC T20 World Cup 2024: South Africa Reach Final By Beating Afghanistan Comfortably; Fans React

Sarvang Bhola

Afghanistan made only 56 runs earlier than being bowled out within the first semi-final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, marking the bottom team total in the tournament’s semi-final records. Choosing to bat after triumphing the toss at Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad on Wednesday, Afghanistan struggled in opposition to a strong South African bowling assault, revealing weaknesses in their batting lineup.

South Africa’s entry right into a World Cup final has been long awaited, taking approximately 25 years. The Proteas subsequently ended their streak of semi-final defeats today when Aiden Markram and his team dismantled Afghanistan to secure a nine-wicket victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final.

South Africa’s win appeared possibly even earlier than the match, given their unbeaten run of 7 wins inside the tournament. However, they also faced a haunting streak: their poor performance in World Cup semi-finals. Before this semi-final, South Africa had lost all seven of their preceding semi-finals, the most current being a 3-wicket defeat to Australia inside the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi each took 3 wickets, at the same time pacers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje claimed 2 wickets each, in the end bowling out Afghanistan for a disastrous 56 runs within 12 overs.

The innings began disastrously when Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck on the final ball of the first over, caught by Reeza Hendricks off Marco Jansen. This early setback set the tone for Afghanistan’s batting collapse. Ibrahim Zadran managed just 2 runs before Kagiso Rabada bowled him, and Gulbadin Naib was out for 9, also to Jansen.

With the scoreboard showing 20-3, Mohammad Nabi fell for a duck to Rabada, quickly followed by Nangeyalia Kharote’s dismissal to Jansen, leaving Afghanistan struggling at 23-5. The procession of wickets continued as the South African bowlers maintained relentless pressure.

 

Azmatullah Omarzai displayed some resistance with a brave 10 runs from 12 balls, however, he too was removed while trying a lofted shot, stuck through Tristan Stubbs off Anrich Nortje. The lower order collapsed towards the spin of Tabraiz Shamsi, who took 3 wickets for six runs, brushing off Karim Janat, Noor Ahmad, and Naveen-ul-Haq lbw in short succession.

Afghanistan’s lowest score in T20 International matches

56 against SA, Tarouba, 2024

72 against BAN, Mirpur, 2014

80 against SA, Bridgetown, 2010

80 against ENG, Colombo, 2012

Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan, scored only 8 runs before being bowled by Nortje. Fazalhaq Farooqi remained unbeaten on 2 runs as Afghanistan’s innings concluded in just 11.5 overs with a total of 56 runs.

Lowest scores against South Africa in T20 International matches

56 – Afghanistan, Tarouba, 2024

77 – Sri Lanka, New York, 2024

80 – Afghanistan, Bridgetown, 2010

81 – Scotland, The Oval, 2009

Marco Jansen stood out amongst South Africa’s bowlers, completing with figures of 3-16. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje claimed two wickets each, at the same time as Shamsi’s 3-6 performed a crucial function in brushing off Afghanistan’s lower-order batsmen.

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