South Africa’s players celebrated after defeating Afghanistan in the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2024 semi-final, advancing to the final for the first time. The Proteas thrashed Afghanistan by nine wickets with more than 11 overs to spare, thanks to a stellar bowling performance led by Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen. South Africa’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure on Afghanistan’s batting line-up, restricting them to a paltry total of 56 runs.
The match was held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago, where South Africa’s fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje also contributed with two wickets each. In reply, South Africa lost Quinton de Kock early but Reeza Hendricks and captain Aiden Markram guided the team to victory. They will now face the winner of the semi-final between England and India in the final in Barbados.
Jansen, who was named Man of the Match, praised South Africa’s bowling display, which effectively ended the match as a contest. Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have been key players for their team throughout the tournament but struggled in the semi-final. Afghan captain Rashid Khan acknowledged the team’s tough night, crediting South Africa’s exceptional bowling performance.
For Markram, the key to success was making the most of good luck and a strong team effort. South Africa will be aiming to win their first senior men’s final since 1998. Meanwhile, Rashid Khan expressed pride in Afghanistan’s journey in the tournament, highlighting the need for improvement in the middle order and batting department for future competitions.
Overall, South Africa’s dominant performance against Afghanistan in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup showcased their strength in bowling and batting. With a solid team effort and strategic play, the Proteas are poised to take on the winner of the second semi-final. While Afghanistan reflects on their campaign with pride, they recognize the areas for improvement to compete effectively in future tournaments.
