T20 World Cup, Trinidad: Comprehensive Win by South Africa
Match Summary:
- Afghanistan: 56 (11.5 overs)
- Omarzai: 10 (12)
- Shamsi: 3-6, Jansen: 3-16
- South Africa: 60-1 (8.5 overs)
- Hendricks: 29 (25), Markram: 23 (21)
- Result: South Africa won by nine wickets
- Scorecard: [Link to scorecard]
South Africa finally broke their semi-final jinx by defeating Afghanistan decisively to secure their place in the first men’s T20 World Cup final. The Proteas, who had failed to reach the final in their previous seven World Cup semi-finals across formats, showcased a dominant performance by dismissing Afghanistan for a mere 56 runs in 11.5 overs on a challenging pitch.
Highlights:
- Marco Jansen’s Impact: Jansen set the tone early by removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the leading run-scorer of the tournament. Afghanistan quickly found themselves struggling at 28-6.
- Tabraiz Shamsi’s Spin Masterclass: Shamsi wrapped up the Afghanistan innings with impressive figures of 3-6.
- Pitch Conditions: The pitch provided excessive seam movement and bounce, raising concerns about its suitability for such a high-profile match.
Despite facing some difficulties in their chase due to the tricky pitch, South Africa reached the target in 8.5 overs. Quinton de Kock was bowled after being hit on the body, but the lack of pressure allowed South Africa to secure the win comfortably.
South Africa remains unbeaten in the tournament and will now compete in the final on Saturday in Barbados. They aim to win their first World Cup title and will face either England or India, who clash in the second semi-final on Thursday in Guyana at 15:30 BST.
