June 27th 2024.
The match in Tarouba was a thrilling one, with South Africa finally breaking their curse of losing in the semifinals. Their impressive pace bowlers, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje, were the stars of the game as they led their team to a nine-wicket victory over a depleted Afghanistan team. This win secured South Africa's spot in the T20 World Cup final, where they will face the winner of the India vs England match. Despite the loss, Afghanistan can hold their heads high for their impressive run in the tournament.
The first half of the game belonged to South Africa's bowlers, who were able to dismantle Afghanistan's top-order and restrict them to a meager score of 56 runs in just 11.5 overs. The Afghan team, who had given their all to reach the semifinals, seemed to have drained themselves emotionally and were unable to put up a strong fight against the formidable South African pace attack. This resulted in their lowest ever score in a T20 International and in a T20 World Cup semifinal.
South Africa's chase of 60 runs was relatively easy, despite the early departure of Quinton de Kock. Reeza Hendricks, who scored his highest ever score in a T20 World Cup match, and captain Aiden Markram guided their team to victory without much trouble. This win was a huge relief for South Africa, as they have been labeled as chokers in global events for many years.
The Afghan batters also deserve some blame for their poor performance, as they seemed to be struggling against the pace and bounce of the pitch. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the first to fall to Jansen's delivery, followed by Gulbadin Naib and Ibrahim Zadran. The latter two dismissals were a result of the bowlers' brilliance and the batters' lack of footwork. Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai were also unable to make any significant contribution to the score, leaving skipper Rashid Khan to face the wrath of Nortje's pace. Leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi then sealed the deal with two wickets in one over, leaving Afghanistan with a disappointing total of 56 runs.
It was a tough loss for Afghanistan, who had put up a brave fight throughout the tournament. The trio of Gurbaz, Zadran, and Omarzai, who had been their top run-scorers in the World Cup, were only able to contribute a mere 12 runs between them in the crucial match. With the hopes of reaching their first ever World Cup final crushed, the Afghan team will have to regroup and come back stronger in the next tournament.
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