Jansen and Rabada Dominate as Afghanistan Crumbles for 56, Their Lowest T20I Score
South Africa 60 for 1 (Hendricks 29, Farooqi 1-11) beat Afghanistan 56 (Omarzai 10, Shamsi 3-6, Jansen 3-16) by nine wickets*
South Africa’s fast bowlers, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada, dismantled Afghanistan’s top order, reducing them to 56 all out in the first semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024. This total marked Afghanistan’s lowest ever in T20Is.
Despite losing Quinton de Kock early, Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks navigated the challenging pitch at Tarouba with ease. Their steady batting led South Africa to a nine-wicket victory, securing their spot in the men’s World Cup final for the first time.
South Africa’s Seamers Overwhelm Afghanistan
The Tarouba pitch offered plenty of bounce and lateral movement, which Jansen and Rabada exploited perfectly. Jansen removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over, with Hendricks catching the edge at slip. In his next over, Jansen bowled Gulbadin Naib with a delivery that darted back in.
Rabada’s first over intensified Afghanistan’s collapse. He bowled Ibrahim Zadran and Mohammad Nabi, delivering a double-wicket maiden that left Afghanistan reeling.
Nortje and Shamsi Finish the Job
With Afghanistan’s top five dismissed and their middle order struggling, Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi cleaned up the remaining wickets. Nortje removed Azmatullah Omarzai, the only Afghan batter to reach double figures, and later bowled Rashid Khan. Shamsi consistently trapped right-handers lbw, sealing Afghanistan’s fate.
South Africa’s Calm Chase
Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq, who had 29 wickets between them in the tournament, aimed to defend Afghanistan’s low score by taking early wickets. Farooqi dismissed de Kock, but Markram and Hendricks remained unfazed. They capitalized on any loose deliveries, with the fifth over alone yielding 13 runs.
South Africa reached the target in the ninth over, marking a historic win with controlled celebrations. This dominant performance secured their place in the final and extended their unbeaten run in the tournament to eight matches.
