T20 World Cup 2024: South Africa Blow Away Afghanistan To Reach First-Ever Final

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Bowlers stepped up big time on a testing surface at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad & Tobago as South Africa defeated Afghanistan by 9 wickets in the first semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Wednesday (June 26) night to reach their first-ever final.

After a clinical bowling performance bundled out Afghanistan for a paltry 56, Reeza Hendricks (29* off 25 balls) and Aiden Markram (23* off 21 balls) evaded early struggle to see South Africa home in 8.5 overs.

Chasing 57, Quinton de Kock (5 off 8 balls) fell to the highest wicket-taker in the tournament Fazalhaq Farooqi. The Proteas, however, fought back from the setback to seal their spot in the final, where they will meet either India or England on June 29.

Earlier, Marco Jansen (3/16) Kagiso Rabada (2/14) and Anrich Nortje (2/7) ripped the soul out of the Afghanistan top-order, reducing them to 28 for five inside the Powerplay, and eventually their innings folded in just 11.5 overs.

Wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi also chipped in with three wickets for 6 runs in 1.5 overs to clean up the tail as South Africa bundled out Afghanistan for their lowest total in T20Is.

Electing to bat first, Afghanistan started poorly as pacer Jansen got the big wicket of the tournament's leading run-scorer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who departed for a duck.

The Proteas continued their thunderous bowling, as Jansen removed Gulbadin Naib and Nangeyalia Kharote, while Rabada also joined the party, castling Ibrahim Zadran (2) and experienced all-rounder Mohammed Nabi (0).

Afghanistan was 23/5 in five overs and Proteas were on fire. At the end of powerplay, Afghanistan was 28/5, with Karim Janat (0*) and Azmatullah Omarzai (10*) remaining unbeaten at the crease.

Then steppen in Nortje, who removed Omarzai and skipper Rashid Khan. Later, it was Shamsi's turn to run through the lower order as the wrist-spinner trapped Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq and Noor Ahmad as Afghanistan was skittled out for 56 in 11.5 overs.