SA vs AFG T20 World Cup: After defeating New Zealand… Australia… and then Bangladesh, Afghanistan has reached the semi-finals for the first time. Not only the semi-finals, but Afghanistan has also made it to the Super 8 for the first time.
Captain Rashid Khan has said that cricket is the only source of happiness for Afghanistan. Not just Rashid, the entire team is saying that this is just the beginning, the destination is yet to come. That is, no one is willing to accept anything less than victory.
On the other hand, there is South Africa, which appears undefeated in the league stage, but in the knockout stage, the team has a stigma of being a choker. It remains to be seen whether Afghanistan writes a new history or South Africa washes away the stigma of being a choker.
Table of Contents
First of all the match details…
1st Semi-Final- South Africa Vs Afghanistan
27 June 2024, Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad and Tobago
Toss- 5:30 AM, Match Start- 6:00 AM.
Why is South Africa called Chokers?
Chokers means those who crumble under pressure on big occasions. This dark shadow has been accompanying South Africa’s ability for 32 years. This team, which has made its mark in every format of cricket be it ODI, Test or T-20, has never played a World Cup final. It has played the semi-finals 13 times, but has lost every time. Sometimes rain betrayed, sometimes luck. Victory was never achieved.
Know the story of some such matches
1. Starting from the semi-final of the 1992 ODI World Cup: Unfortunate rain
South Africa returned to international cricket after 22 years. It was banned for discriminating against black players. After this, South Africa played the World Cup for the first time in 1992. The team reached the semi-final in the first World Cup itself. It was competing against England. The team was chasing a target of 252 runs.
In the end, South Africa needed 22 runs from 13 balls. At this time, it started raining and the match was stopped. According to the rain rules of that time, South Africa got a target of 22 runs from one ball. This was impossible. The team lost and was eliminated from the tournament.
2. Lost to Australia in the 1999 ODI World Cup semi-final: Donald was run out
In 1999, South Africa was considered the biggest contender for the World Cup. In the semi-final, South Africa’s luck betrayed them again. Australia batted first and scored 213 runs. In the run chase, South Africa also scored 213 runs.
In the last over, South Africa needed 9 runs to win. Klusener equalized the score by hitting 2 fours on the first 2 balls. Now South Africa needed 1 run on 4 balls. Klusener played a shot on the fourth ball of the over. He called Allan Donald standing at the non-striker end to take a run, but did not run himself. Donald was run out and the match was tied. Australia defeated South Africa in the Super 6 stage. On this basis, Australia was declared the winner in the semi-finals.
2 reasons why Afghanistan is dangerous
1. Defeated New Zealand and Bangladesh
Afghanistan defeated New Zealand by 84 runs in the 14th match of T20 World Cup 2024. No one had thought that Afghanistan would start this World Cup like this. After this, the Afghanistan team created history under the captaincy of Rashid Khan at St. Vincent Stadium in West Indies.
Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh and made it to the semi-finals for the first time in World Cup history. With Afghanistan’s victory, Australia was eliminated from the World Cup. Afghanistan gave Bangladesh a target of 116 runs. Bangladesh’s wicket-chasing team kept falling continuously. Afghanistan’s pacer Naveen Ul Haq took 2 consecutive wickets in the 18th over and won the match in Afghanistan’s favour.
2. Created history by defeating Australia
Under the captaincy of Rashid Khan, Afghanistan made the biggest upset in the T20 World Cup. The team defeated Australia, which had won one T20 and 6 ODI World Cups, by 21 runs in the Super-8. This was the first victory of the Afghan team over Australia in any format of cricket.
In this match, Australian captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and chose to bowl and restricted the Afghanistan team to 148 runs. Australia was all out for 127 runs. But Gulbadin Naib snatched the victory from the Kangaroos by taking 4 wickets.
Last time it was de Villiers, now who?
2016 World Cup… Wankhede ground Mr. 360 of cricket i.e. AB de Villiers hit 29 runs in one over of Afghanistan’s current captain Rashid Khan. Which also included a hat-trick of sixes. South Africa won this match by 37 runs.
Today the African team has players like De Kock, Klaasen and Rabada. Now it remains to be seen who will make the team win. On the other hand, Afghan captain Rashid Khan’s team would like to take revenge for the 2016 defeat and reach the final.
Top Performers
1. Afghanistan
Rahmanullah Gurbaz- Gurbaz is the top scorer of this T20 World Cup. He has scored 281 runs in 7 matches at an average of 40.14 and a strike rate of 126. In the decisive match against Bangladesh, he scored 43 runs in 55 balls. With this, the team qualified for the semi-finals for the first time.
Naveen Ul Haq- His charismatic bowling led to victory against Bangladesh by taking 2 wickets in 2 consecutive balls. He was the man of the match of this match. He took 4 wickets for 26 runs in 4 overs. In this World Cup, Naveen has taken 13 wickets in 7 matches.
2. South Africa
David Miller- Miller is the top batsman of the African middle order on the tricky pitches of West Indies. He has the ability to play according to the situation. He has scored 148 runs in 7 matches of this World Cup.
Kagiso Rabada- One of the fastest bowlers in the world, Rabada can win any match with his bowling. South Africa expects Rabada to take wickets in the initial overs. He has taken 10 wickets in 7 matches in this World Cup.
Importance of the match:
South Africa is undefeated in this T20 World Cup. Afghanistan will be playing its first semi-final in its history. Both teams would like to win this match and reach the final.
Role of toss:
4 matches of T20 World Cup 2024 have been played at Brian Lara Stadium. Where the team fielding first has won all four matches. The average score of the first innings in this World Cup on this ground is 90 runs, while the average score of the second innings is 89 runs. The toss win, match win percentage at this ground is 75%.
Match Prediction:
The name of Chokers being attached to South Africa doubles their pressure. South Africa has never won in ICC knockout matches. Afghanistan’s confidence is high. Afghan spinners can play a big role on this pitch. South Africa has a high chance of winning this match.
Weather Report:
There is a 40% chance of rain at the Brian Lara Stadium on Thursday, but there is a reserve day for this match.
Afghanistan-South Africa Possible Playing XI
South Africa: Aiden Markram (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortya and Tabrez Shamsi.
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (captain) , Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
