Tarouba: In a historic T20 World Cup semi-final clash, South Africa emerged victorious, defeating Afghanistan by a commanding margin of 9 wickets. The match, held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, witnessed a stellar performance from South African captain Aiden Markram and opener Reeza Hendricks.
Afghanistan’s Collapse: A Tale of Missed Opportunities
Afghanistan, playing their first-ever T20 World Cup semi-final, faced an uphill battle from the outset. After winning the toss, they struggled against the spinning deliveries and lost half their team during the powerplay. Key batsmen, including Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib, Ibrahim Zadran, and Mohammad Nabi, failed to make an impact against the formidable bowling duo of Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada.
Jansen’s Magic and Rabada’s Precision
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell victim to Jansen’s cunning delivery outside the off stump, caught by Reeza Hendricks in the slip. Gulbadin Naib followed suit, dismissed by Jansen with an incoming ball. Rabada, on the other hand, found Zadran’s leg stump, leaving Afghanistan reeling. The pressure intensified as Norkia removed Azmatullah Umarzai, who had been a consistent run-scorer for Afghanistan in the tournament.
Shamsi’s Triple Blow
Leg spinner Tabrez Shamsi further compounded Afghanistan’s woes, taking three wickets in a single over. His victims included Karim Janat and Noor Ahmed. Captain Rashid Khan, expected to anchor the innings, left his stumps exposed against Norkia and was bowled out.
South Africa’s Clinical Chase
Chasing a modest target of 57 runs, South African batsmen wasted no time. Captain Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks displayed brilliant batting, reaching the required total in just 8.5 overs. This victory marked the first instance of a team being bowled out for less than 100 runs in a T20 World Cup semi-final.
Afghanistan’s Bittersweet Journey Ends
Despite their courageous journey to the semi-finals, Afghanistan’s dream of playing in the World Cup final remained unfulfilled. South Africa’s fast bowlers proved too much to handle, and Afghanistan’s batsmen paid the price for missed opportunities.
