South Africa secured a dominant nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, booking their place in a historic first World Cup final appearance. This win marks a significant moment for the Proteas, who had previously fallen short in the semi-finals twice (2009 and 2014).
South Africa vs Afghanistan: Match Report
Electing to field first, South Africa’s bowlers delivered a masterclass in pace and accuracy. Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje were unplayable in the initial overs, claiming eight wickets within the first ten.
Tabraiz Shamsi finished off the Afghan innings with three quick wickets, restricting them to a paltry 56 runs – the lowest total ever recorded by a team in a T20 World Cup semi-final.
Highlights of South Africa Bowling Performance:
- Marco Jansen (3/16 from 3 overs)
- Kagiso Rabada (2/14 from 3 overs)
- Anrich Nortje (2/7 from 3 overs)
- Tabraiz Shamsi (3/16 from 1.5 overs)
Comfortable chase by Proteas batters
Chasing a modest target of 56, the South African batsmen displayed composure and avoided any unnecessary risks.
While they lost the early wicket of Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram guided the team to victory within just nine overs, securing a comfortable nine-wicket win.
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Maiden T20 World Cup final
With this convincing victory, South Africa have finally broken through to a World Cup final. They will now eagerly await their opponent in the showpiece event, determined to lift the coveted trophy for the first time.
Disappointing end for Afghanistan
For Afghanistan, this match marks a disappointing end to an otherwise impressive tournament run. Their batting lineup, which had previously shown promise, was completely dismantled by the South African bowling attack. They will undoubtedly be looking to learn from this experience and come back stronger in future tournaments.
