South Africa Qualified to the Final of T20 World Cup for the First Time

The entire cricket world was excited as Afghanistan made it to the semi-finals of T20 World Cup 2024. The team, which made its international debut 15 years ago, reached the semi-finals by defeating the cricket giants. Everyone was celebrating the success of this underdog team. Rashid Khan's team had defeated New Zealand in the group round and Australia in the Super-8.

South Africa has a history of choking. It was expected that a tough semi-final would be played. Many had taken Afghanistan to the finals, but the Afghanistan team was out on the lowest score in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup history and South Africa got a place in the finals for the first time in the World Cup history.

This semi-final between Afghanistan and South Africa was the most one-sided semi-final in T20 World Cup history.

After winning the toss and batting first, Afghanistan had a very bad start. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the highest run scorer in the tournament, was out in the very first over without opening his account. He was dismissed by Yansen. Yansen sent out Gulbdin Naib (9) in the third over. In the fourth over, Kagiso Rabada bowled out Ibrahim Zadran and Mohammad Nabi. In the next over, Afghanistan's score reduced to 5 wickets for 23 runs by dismissing Nangeyalia Kharote.

Azmatullah Omarzai, who played the biggest innings for the team, became the victim of Anrich Nortje in the 7th over. After the fall of 6 wickets for 28 runs, there was a partnership of 22 runs between Karim Janat and Rashid Khan. Janat was LBW on Shamsi's ball at the score of 50. The wicket of Noor Ahmed (0) also fell in the same over. Rashid Khan also got bowled on the score of 50. Afghanistan's innings ended with the wicket of Naveen Ul Haq in the 12th over.

Afghanistan's innings was reduced to 56 runs in the 12th over at the Brian Lara Stadium.

South Africa, while chasing the target, also had a bad start. Quinton de Kock returned to the pavilion on the score of 5. The bowlers were getting a lot of help from the pitch. But Aiden Markram and Reeza Henriques remained on the pitch. Both of them took time and helped their team reach the target in the 9th over. Hendricks remained unbeaten on 29 and Markram remained unbeaten on 23 runs. Fazalhaq Faruqui got the only wicket.

Player of the Match: Marco Jansen (SA) 3/16 (3).

This is Afghanistan's lowest score in T20 International. At the same time, Test playing in the T20 World Cup is the country's second smallest total. South Africa achieved the target in the 9th over after losing one wicket and made it to the finals. Where he will face the winner of the second semi-final between India and England on June 29.