Afghanistan is set to face South Africa in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. This match is being anticipated as a battle between giant killers and perennial chokers. Afghanistan will be making their first semi-final appearance at a major ICC event after defeating New Zealand and Australia. On the other hand, South Africa has experience in such high-pressure situations but has a tendency to falter.
Despite the excitement surrounding this match, there is a possibility of rain affecting the game. According to Accuweather, there is a 1% chance of rain at the start of the match, which could increase to 44%. However, ICC has scheduled a reserve day for the match in case of interruptions due to rain.
If the match is not played on both Thursday and Friday, Afghanistan will be eliminated. South Africa, having finished on top of their groups in both the league stage and the Super 8 stage, will advance to the final. Afghanistan, on the other hand, secured the second position behind West Indies and India in the respective stages.
Afghanistan has been the standout team in this ICC event, showing resilience and determination despite the challenges they face in their country. Their victory over Australia was particularly impressive, with key players like skipper Rashid Khan, pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq, and batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz shining in the tournament. Farooqi leads the bowling charts with 16 wickets, while Gurbaz tops the batting charts with 281 runs.
This remarkable performance by Afghanistan players highlights their journey to the top of the stats table, surpassing established names in the process.
(With PTI Inputs)
@Cricbun
