Posted on June 27, 2024
This merciful demolition of Afghanistan on Thursday June 27 in Trinidad saw South Africa qualify for their first ever ICC World Cup final. The Proteas bowlers rose to the occasion at the brought Afghanistan to their knees, being dismissed for 56 runs.
Hopes of a fairytale run in the T20 World Cup 2024 for Afghanistan were dashed as the South Africa bowlers ripped through their batting line up to setup a maiden ICC final between the two sides with a 9 wicket drubbing on June 27, Thursday. Afghanistan was bowled out for a mere 56 in 12 overs Marco Jansen, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje were ruthless on a torrid Trinidad pitch, which aided that, which was a to the batters.
The Proteas batters gave a quick chase to the target and emerged out of the ICC knockouts’ bad run making it to the final to be played on the June 29 Saturday in Barbados. The complexion of the game was surely laid out in the very first over of the Trinidad ’s innings where Rashid Khan decided to field after winning the toss. Jansen earned the ball and bowled out Rahmanullah Gurbaz without even scoring a run for him on the board in the very first over. The second over from the new bowler Keshav Maharaj seemed to be the only let-up for Afghanistan as with the 3rd one the batting line was demolished.
Jansen would send back a struggling Gulbadin Naib and then Rabada came into the attack and got the better of Ibrahim Zadran and Mohammad Nabi in the next over to reduce Afghanistan to a hopeless position. The procession of wickets remained unabated and Kharote had no answer to the onslaught and Omarzai’s attempt at a counter-attack.
Afghanistan reached 50 runs through Rashid Khan and Karim Janat’s brief partnership of 22 runs, Shamsi made a comeback again. The spinner removed Janat and Noor as the perfect game of the South Africa was on. It was Nortje who had troubled Rashid, with whom he had a bit of an altercation earlier in the match, and the height advantage got the better of the Afghan captain as he took his off-stump for a walk before Shamsi applied the coup de grace. Australia’s 202 for eight is the highest team total in a T20 World Cup semi-final while Afghanistan’s 56 is the worst total by a side in a T20 World Cup semi-final.
South African innings could not have had the best of starts they would have wanted as the pitch was still helping the pacers. That only brought Afghanistan some hope as Fazalhaq Farooqi made a clean haul of Quinton de Kock. Aiden Markram received an early reprieve when Afghanistan were let off the hook for a tiny cut on the ball. The catch was never seen by a pair of eyes and the referee simply didn’t look, Markram would make them pay. The Proteas skipper, would have to lead the side with the support of Reeza Hendricks and get through a difficult period and chase the target before the stipulated 9 overs were up.
South African team played the perfect game at the right time
In all the games to the level of the semi-final, critics had never been enthused by the performance in the South Africa side despite they having won all their previous games in the competition. Two of those teams could have potentially given them a run for their money namely Netherlands and Nepal but they were eventually beaten to the favors.
Aiden Markram was pleased with the wins, but often reiterated that they had not played the ideal cricket yet. He continued to knocked on the door next one thinking that would be the one where everything would come together. Last but not the least in Trinidad the Proteas captain got the wish of his life.
The bowlers never allowed them to have a go as they removed Gurbaz and Zadran early who have done the most for Afghanistan in the tournament. This was then complimented by captaincy from Markram. In the match against West Indies, he very promptly came to the understanding that spin was effective and utilised himself for 4 overs.
In the second match, he did not feel the same and quickly assessed the pitch to conclude that his pacers would suffice. He continued supporting them and some of the bowing talents such as Jansen, Rabada, and Nortje did not disappoint. South Africa will only require one more perfect game as they will for the first time ever, break a jinx and end a long wait for major silverware.
Get your head high, Afghani, it’s no longer your country’s image that fits you for being an underdog.
As for Afghanistan, possibly this game’s sore will not heal soon. But they have nothing to be ashamed of themselves. The run they made in the World Cup was phenomenal, as they thoroughly outperformed themselves, so to say.
Thus, during the course of this event, the team members turned from the outsiders to the apparent contenders for the title of the champions in the end. Rashid Khan and his boys performed well to see them defeat Australia and New Zealand to be in the semi-finals.
In the tournament wherein Pakistan surrendered and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh did not cut an impressive figure, Afghanistan will henceforth be regarded as the second-best team in Asia next only to India.