A dominant performance with the ball saw South Africa pump Afghanistan in the first semi-final of the T20 World Cup at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad. Chasing a below-par target of 57, the Proteas dashed the way to the final in 8.5 overs. South Africa will make their first-ever appearance at a T20 World Cup final on Saturday in Barbados, with India and England set to battle it out for the other spot in the second semi-final. Earlier, a three-for each from Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen helped South Africa restrict Afghanistan for a paltry total of 56, the lowest ever by a team in the history of the T20 World Cup semi-final.
On a fresh, spicy surface, South Africa’s pacers electrified the team’s charge as Afghanistan were bowled out for 56 in just 11.5 overs – their lowest total in the format. Marco Jansen (3-16), Kagiso Rabada (2-14) and Anrich Nortje (2-7) took seven wickets between them while Tabraiz Shamsi added three lower-order scalps to his tally of wickets in the tournament to bring a quick end to Afghanistan’s batting misery. The chase, despite the threats from the pitch, was mostly straightforward as South Africa began their Barbados march with a nine-wicket win sealed with as many as 67 balls to spare.
There was not much left to hunt down for South Africa post the PowerPlay and the batting pair of Markram and Hendricks needed only 17 balls to guide their team home. They had uncertainties with the bounce on the pitch but the South African captain hit a pair of excellent drives on the up. Hendricks rubber-stamped South Africa’s attendance in Barbados emphatically with a six and a four off Azmatullah Omarzai.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 56 in 11.5 overs (Tabraiz Shamsi 3-6, Marco Jansen 3-16, Anrich Nortje 2-7, Kagiso Rabada 2-14) lost to South Africa 60/1 in 8.5 overs (Reeza Hendricks 29*, Aiden Markram 23*; Fazalhaq Farooqi 1-11) by 9 wickets
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