South Africa Crushes Afghanistan in T20 World Cup Semi-Final.
Afghanistan vs South Africa T20 World Cup
South Africa booked their place in the T20 World Cup final for the first time with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in a one-sided semi-final at Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad.
The Proteas ruthlessly dismantled Afghanistan’s batting line-up, bowling them out for a paltry 56 runs – the lowest total ever in a T20 World Cup match. Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi spearheaded the bowling attack, each taking three wickets to dismantle Afghanistan’s fragile batting.
T20 World Cup semi-final results
This emphatic win marked the end of a long wait for South Africa. They had never reached a World Cup final in the shortest format despite reaching the semi-finals on eight previous occasions since 1992. Now, they await the winner of the second semi-final between India and England, with a chance to finally lift the trophy on Saturday.
South Africa’s T20 World Cup win
Here’s a closer look at the key moments that unfolded in this lopsided encounter:
- Early Wickets for Jansen: Afghanistan’s hopes for a competitive total took a massive blow early on as Marco Jansen dismissed both openers – Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran – within the first over.
- Rabada Joins the Party: Kagiso Rabada continued the South African onslaught, removing the dangerous Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib in quick succession. By the end of the powerplay, Afghanistan was reeling at a precarious 23/5.
- Afghanistan Crumbles Further: Anrich Nortje joined the wicket-taking frenzy, dismissing Azmatullah Omarzai to leave Afghanistan in deep trouble at 28/6. While Rashid Khan offered some resistance with a couple of boundaries, Tabraiz Shamsi ensured the fall of wickets continued, picking up three wickets to restrict Afghanistan to a mere 56 runs.
- South Africa Cruises to Victory: Despite losing Quinton de Kock early, Reeza Hendricks and captain Aiden Markram steered South Africa home comfortably within nine overs, securing a convincing nine-wicket victory and their place in the coveted final.
Let us take a look at the 10 lowest totals in the 20-over showpiece.
| Rank | Country | Score | Against | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uganda | 39 all out | West Indies | 2024 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 39 all out | Sri Lanka | 2014 |
| 3 | Uganda | 40 all out | New Zealand | 2024 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 44 all out | Sri Lanka | 2021 |
| 5 | Oman | 47 all out | England | 2024 |
| 6 | West Indies | 55 all out | England | 2021 |
| 7 | Afghanistan | 56 all out | South Africa | 2024 |
| 8 | Uganda | 58 all out | Afghanistan | 2024 |
| 9 | New Zealand | 60 all out | Sri Lanka | 2014 |
| 10 | Scotland | 60 all out | Afghanistan | 2021 |
Also Read:
- India vs England Semi-Final
- T20 World Cup 2024 Semi-finals: Schedule, Match Date, Teams
- India vs Australia T20 World Cup
- Afghanistan vs Australia T20 World Cup Live Cricket Score, Super Eight
- India vs Bangladesh, T20 World Cup 2024
- ENG vs WI T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 Match
- South Africa vs USA, T20 World Cup 2024
