South Africa beats Afghanistan to reach the Twenty20 World Cup final, ending a long cricket drought
South Africa's captain Aiden Markram walks from the field following his team's nine wicket win over Afghanistan in their men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
TAROUBA, Trinidad (AP) — South Africa trounced Afghanistan by nine wickets Wednesday to reach the Twenty20 World Cup final, ending a long cricket drought.
Reeza Hendricks hit a six and a four on consecutive deliveries to lift South Africa to 60 for 1 in the ninth over, easily surpassing Afghanistan’s 56.
It was the first time in eight World Cup semifinals across the one-day and T20 formats that South Africa had managed a victory. Now it's just potentially one victory away from a maiden World Cup title.
South Africa's Reeza Hendricks, left, embraces teammate Aiden Markram after defeating Afghanistan in their men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss Wednesday and opted to bat first but everything went South Africa’s way after that with the pace bowlers taking out the top order.
South Africa's Tabraiz Shamsi, centre, is congratulated by teammates after dismissing Afghanistan's Noor Ahmad during the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Marco Jansen (3-16) took wickets in the first and third overs and Kagiso Rabada (2-14) opened with a double-wicket maiden as Afghanistan slumped to 20-4 after 3.4 overs.
The opening pair that had carried Afghanistan so well during the tournament was gone, exposing the middle and lower order to a South Africa bowling attack hitting form at the perfect stage.
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai, right, walks from the field after he was dismissed as teammate Rashid Khanduring the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Rahmanullah Gurbaz faced three balls before he edged to slip and was out to Jansen in the first over. Ibrahim Zadran was beaten by a Rabada inswinger and bowled on the first ball of the third over.
South Africa's Marco Jansen, left, is congratulated by a teammate after dismissing Afghanistan's Gulbadin Naib during the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Wrist spinner Tabraiz Shamsi took three wickets in 11 deliveries — all lbw decisions to balls keeping low — to finish off Afghanistan for 56 in 11.5 overs.
Azmattullah Omarzai top scored with 10, the only Afghan batter to reach double figures.
South Africa lost only opener Quinton de Kock in the run chase.
“We weren’t expecting that. We just wanted to come out in this game and hit our straps,, the way we’ve been doing throughout the entire tournament,” Rabada said. “We just felt that we needed to continue in that vein.
South Africa's Tristan Stubbs, left, celebrates with teammate Marco Jansen after taking a catch to dismiss Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai during the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
“And today it just happened for us."
Asked if this is the team to finally end South Africa's World Cup drought, Rabada was confident: “We 100% believe that this is the team.”
Defending champion England and India will meet in the second semifinal on Thursday. The winner will play South Africa on Saturday at the century-old Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Afghanistan was playing in the last four for the first time, and it entered the match with three of the five leading bowlers in the tournament and two of the top three batters, based on runs scored.
South Africa remains unbeaten at the tournament, but had to endure tough contests and narrow wins over Nepal, Netherlands, Bangladesh and England and only beat West Indies with five balls to spare in the Super Eight stage.
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T20 Cricket WCup Afghanistan South Africa
Afghanistan fans react ahead of the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
The Afghanistan team lines up ahead of the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
Afghanistan's Gulbadin Naib reacts after he was out bowled by South Africa's Marco Jansen during the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
South Africa's Kagiso Rabada, centre, is congratulated by teammates after dismissing Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi during the men's T20 World Cup semifinal cricket match between Afghanistan and South Africa at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tabago, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)