Defying expectations: Afghanistan had sprung a shock by reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals (Getty Images)
Afghanistan’s dreams of reaching a first T20 World Cup final were dashed as they were bowled out for just 56 by a ruthless South Africa overnight.
On a tricky pitch at Tarouba, South Africa cruised to victory with nine wickets and 67 balls remaining to reach their first men’s World Cup final in either format, where either England or India will lie in wait.
Afghanistan had defied expectation to first emerge from a testing pool stage at New Zealand’s expense and then finish ahead of Australia in the Super 8, but the opening semi-final proved a bridge too far.
The underdogs’ top order was blown away by the pace of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who shared five wickets inside the opening powerplay, with Azmatullah Omarzai the only player to reach double figures.
“We might have done a bit better than that, but the conditions didn’t let us,” said Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan. “That’s what T20 is about, you’ve got to be ready for any situation. They bowled exceptionally well, we couldn’t bat well.
“We have enjoyed a lot. To reach the semi-final and play one of the best teams in South Africa, we’d have taken that. It’s just the start for us, we can beat any team if we can keep it simple.”
South Africa lost opener Quinton de Kock inside the second over of the chase to briefly ignite fears of a familiar knockout-stage choke, but an unbeaten partnership of 55 between Reeza Hendricks and Aidan Markram ensured no further alarm and the Proteas will at last play in a World Cup final after seven straight semi-final defeats.
“We’ve never been there before, but it’s nothing to be scared of,” Markram told the BBC. “It’s an opportunity that we’ve never had and we’ll be really excited about it. We feel we’ve been playing really good cricket for a couple of years now, have some world-class players in the group.
“Obviously there are external pressures, but we’re trying to keep it simple and that should give us a good chance.”
England and India are on Thursday afternoon due to meet in the second semi-final in Guyana, with Jos Buttler’s side praying for good fortune against a bleak weather forecast.
Unlike the first semi-final, there is no reserve day in action and a washout would see India advance to the final by virtue of their better Super 8 record.
Coach Matthew Mott said: “It’s something we’ve known about since the start, so to cry foul over it now probably doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
Source link : https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/afghanistan-denied-first-world-cup-130831559.html
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Publish date : 2024-06-27 13:25:45
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