South Africa have finally broken their semi-final jinx, advancing to an ICC final with a brutal display of dominance and fiery fast bowling. In a match that saw Afghanistan overawed by the occasion and fatigued by emotionally draining wins over Australia and Bangladesh, South Africa’s bowlers made short work of their opponents, marking a historic day for South African cricket.

Rabada and Jansen set the tone

The victory was set in motion by a fierce spell of fast bowling from Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. The duo dismantled Afghanistan’s top order in the powerplay, leaving their innings in tatters. Jansen started the onslaught by dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over, and Afghanistan never recovered from this early blow. Jansen delivered perfect lengths to send back two more batters, while Rabada also struck twice in his first over, leaving Afghanistan reeling at 23/5 in five overs.

Shamsi and Nortje continue the assault

After the early burst, there was no let-off. Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi continued the assault, sharing five wickets between them. Afghanistan’s batters came and went, playing poor shots against some superb bowling. Shamsi wrapped up the innings with three lbws, exploiting Afghanistan’s vulnerabilities and ensuring they were bowled out for just 56 runs. This score was not only Afghanistan’s lowest in T20Is but also the lowest total against South Africa by any team in the shortest format of the game.

Afghanistan’s historic low total

Rashid Khan’s side was bowled out for 56, their lowest total in 142 T20Is. This score set a new floor for the lowest total in a men’s T20I knockout game, with extras (13) being the top scorer. Despite their struggles, Afghanistan’s left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi made history by becoming the bowler with the most wickets taken in a single edition of the ICC T20 World Cup.

Farooqi’s record-breaking performance

Farooqi’s performance was one of the few bright spots for Afghanistan. He dismissed Quinton de Kock with a ball that nipped back in and ended with figures of 1/11 in two overs. In the ongoing tournament, Farooqi has taken 17 wickets in eight games at an average of 9.41 and an economy rate of 6.31, with the best bowling figures of 5/9. He surpassed the previous record held by Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga, who took 16 wickets in the 2021 edition held in the UAE.

South Africa’s chase

In reply, South Africa’s new bowlers bowled valiantly, and Fazalhaq Farooqi got the wicket of Quinton de Kock early. However, the target was too small, and after playing out the first few overs, Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks found their hitting zone. Markram played some classy strokes, while Hendricks finished off the game with a six and a four. The target was chased down in under nine overs, marking a historic day for South Africa and a day to forget for Afghanistan after an otherwise impressive campaign.

Markram and Hendricks shine

South African skipper Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks ensured there were no hiccups in achieving the modest target. Hendricks scored 29* in 25 balls with three fours and a six, while Markram contributed 23* in 21 balls with four boundaries. Their calm and composed approach took South Africa to the winning score in 8.5 overs.

See Also: “It is an opportunity we have never had,” Aiden Markram after beating Afghanistan in 1st Semi-final of T20 World Cup 2024 – Cricket Winner

South Africa have roared into their maiden World Cup final after dominating Afghanistan in Trinidad. The Proteas made short work of the paltry total in reply, reaching their target with nine wickets still intact and inside nine overs, confirming an emphatic victory. Afghanistan’s campaign, though ending on a low, featured some standout performances, particularly from Fazalhaq Farooqi, whose record-breaking feats will be remembered in T20 World Cup history.