South Africa Clinch Ticket To Finals, India-England Semis Rain Hit

TAROUBA (IANS) – South Africa has secured their place in the T20 World Cup final for the first time ever after a commanding 9-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the semifinal at Brian Lara Stadium on June 27.

This victory marks a significant milestone for South African cricket, as they now await the winner of the India vs. England semifinal to determine their opponent in the final, which was ongoing at the time of publication after rain delays.

On a pitch with slow pace and low bounce, India lost Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant early but Rohit Sharma has managed to keep India afloat by striking six boundaries, with Suryakumar Yadav giving him company on 13 not out after the 2007 winners were inserted in to bat first, when rain caused more delays.

The stars of the South Africa match, Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi, set the tone with an exceptional performance, taking three wickets each. Kagiso Rabada (2-14) and Anrich Nortje (2-7) barely put a foot wrong as Afghanistan were bowled out for a paltry total of 56 runs in 11.5 overs. This is the first time a team has bowled out their opposition for under 100 in a Men’s T20 World Cup semifinal.

In reply, despite the early wicket of Quinton de Kock (5), Reeza Hendricks (29) and skipper Aiden Markram (23) extinguished any Afghan threat, chasing down the target inside nine overs to make their maiden World Cup final.

Jansen’s early dismissal of Rahmanullah Gurbaz with an outside edge caught by Hendricks, followed by his subsequent wickets, highlighted South Africa’s bowling dominance. Rabada’s double-wicket maiden, which saw him dismantle both Ibrahim Zadran and Mohammad Nabi, further crippled the Afghan innings. Nortje and Shamsi then wrapped up the tail to restrict Afghanistan to a meager total of 56.

Chasing 57, South Africa’s top order approached the task with a calm and calculated demeanor. Despite the early loss of Quinton de Kock to a superb delivery from Fazalhaq Farooqi, Hendricks and Markram ensured there were no further hiccups. Hendricks scored an unbeaten 29, while Markram contributed a solid 23*, guiding their team to victory in 8.5 overs and marching to their maiden ICC Men’s World Cup final.

Afghanistan’s strategy to deploy Rashid Khan early in the powerplay failed to halt South Africa’s momentum. With a quick start that saw them reach 34/1 after six overs, the Proteas’ batters steadily moved towards their target, extinguishing any hopes of an Afghan comeback.

The finals will take place in Barbados on June 29.