South Africa ended their run of semi-final heartache by thrashing Afghanistan to reach their first men’s T20 World Cup final. The Proteas, who had failed to progress from all seven of their previous World Cup semi-finals across formats, dismissed Afghanistan for 56 in 11.5 overs on a difficult pitch in Trinidad, securing a nine-wicket victory.
Marco Jansen set the tone by removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the tournament’s leading run-scorer in Afghanistan’s dramatic run to their first semi-final, leaving the score at 28-6. Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi cleaned up the tail with figures of 3-6, while Jansen finished with 3-16. However, the state of the pitch, which offered excessive seam movement and bounce, raised questions about its suitability for such a significant match.
Despite the challenging conditions, South Africa managed to chase down the target in 8.5 overs. Quinton de Kock was bowled after being hit on the body, but with little pressure to score quickly, the Proteas comfortably completed their chase. This victory sees them progress to Saturday’s final in Barbados, maintaining their unbeaten record in the tournament as they aim to win a World Cup for the first time.
South Africa will face either England or India in the final, who meet in the second semi-final on Thursday in Guyana at 15:30 BST. This upcoming clash will determine who joins the Proteas in what promises to be an exciting conclusion to the tournament.
