Afghanistan's remarkable journey in the T20 World Cup came to a shuddering halt in Trinidad on Thursday, as a rampant South African outfit thumped them by a staggering 144 runs in the first semi-final.
The young Afghans, who had captured the hearts of the cricketing world with their spirited displays, were left shell-shocked by a clinical Proteas bowling attack on a lively Tarouba surface. Batting first, their much-vaunted batting line-up was skittled for a paltry 56 runs – one of the lowest totals of the tournament. The South African seamers revelled in the conditions, exploiting both lateral movement and a good dose of bounce to dismantle the Afghan batting order with ruthless efficiency.
Chasing a featherweight target, the Proteas barely broke sweat, racing to victory inside nine overs with nine wickets in hand. This emphatic win books their place in the final, where they will await the winner of the second semi-final.
Despite the heavy defeat, Afghanistan can take immense pride in their achievements throughout the tournament. They defied expectations by winning five out of their eight matches, including famous victories over former champions Australia and New Zealand.
Speaking after the match, Afghan skipper Rashid Khan reflected on his team's incredible run. "We came into this tournament as underdogs," he admitted, "but to reach the semi-final against a strong South African side is a testament to the hard work and belief within this group. We've shown that we can compete with the best and cause major upsets. This experience will hold us in good stead for future tournaments."
Rashid also acknowledged the need for improvement in certain areas. "Pressure situations against top teams expose our weaknesses," he conceded. "We need more depth in our batting, particularly in the middle order. We require someone who can bat deep and build an innings. We've achieved some fantastic results, but there's room for growth, especially with the bat."
The Afghan captain felt that the conditions at the Brian Lara Stadium didn't favour his spinners, but praised their overall bowling performance. "It was a tough outing for us, and the pitch certainly didn't help our cause," he lamented. "However, there are no excuses in international cricket. We should be mentally prepared to handle any situation. Our batting let us down today. Mujeeb's injury was a blow, but the likes of Nabi and Farooqi bowled superbly, making our job as a spin unit easier. Their consistency throughout the tournament has been a real positive."
South Africa, meanwhile, march on with a spring in their step. They'll be hoping to go all the way and lift their maiden T20 World Cup trophy.
