South Africa dominates Afghanistan to clinch maiden T20 World Cup final spot

Photo : Reuters

South Africa delivered a masterclass in bowling and batting as they steamrolled Afghanistan to secure a convincing nine-wicket victory in the first semi-final of the T20 World Cup at Trinidad's Brian Lara Stadium. This emphatic win not only propelled South Africa into their maiden T20 World Cup final but also ended their long-standing curse of faltering in semi-finals dating back to 1992.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Afghanistan's decision quickly turned into a nightmare as they collapsed spectacularly against a relentless South African bowling attack. Marco Jansen set the tone early, dismissing Afghanistan's leading run-scorer Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck in the very first over. The South African pace battery, led by Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, maintained intense pressure, dismantling the Afghan top-order. Rabada's precision and Nortje's pace saw Afghanistan slump to 20-5 within the powerplay overs. The spin wizardry of Tabraiz Shamsi then came into play, as he swiftly wrapped up the tail with figures of 3-6. Afghanistan, despite their heroic run in the tournament with notable wins over New Zealand and Australia, could only muster a dismal total of 56 runs, their lowest-ever in T20 internationals.

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In response, South Africa faced an early setback when Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled Quinton de Kock in the second over of their chase. However, Reeza Hendricks and skipper Aiden Markram displayed composure and class, steadily guiding their team towards the modest target. Hendricks, in particular, played a pivotal role with an unbeaten 29, including a decisive six and a boundary that sealed South Africa's victory in just nine overs.

Captain Aiden Markram expressed delight at finally breaking South Africa's semi-final jinx and reaching the tournament final. He acknowledged the support of fans back home and praised his team's resilience throughout the campaign. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's captain Rashid Khan, despite the disappointment, reflected positively on their journey and expressed confidence in his team's ability to bounce back stronger.

With this win, South Africa now awaits the winner of the second semi-final between India and England, aiming to clinch their maiden T20 World Cup title in Barbados on Saturday

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