South Africa thrash Afghanistan to reach first World Cup final

T20 World Cup, Trinidad

Afghanistan 56 (11.5 overs): Omarzai 10 (12); Shamsi 3-6, Jansen 3-16

South Africa 60-1 (8.5 overs): Hendricks 29 (25), Markram 23 (21)

South Africa won by 9 wickets

Scorecard

South Africa ended their tally of semi-final heartache by thrashing Afghanistan to scope their first men's T20 World Cup final.

The Proteas, who had grounded to advancement from each 7 of their erstwhile World Cup semi-finals crossed formats, dismissed Afghanistan for 56 successful 11.5 overs connected a difficult transportation connected their measurement to a nine-wicket triumph successful Trinidad.

Marco Jansen removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz, nan tournament's starring run-scorer successful Afghanistan's melodramatic tally to their first semi-final, and nan people was soon 28-6.

Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi mopped up nan tail pinch 3-6 and Jansen vanished pinch 3-16 but questions will beryllium asked astir nan authorities of nan aboveground for specified a showpiece event.

It offered excessive seam activity and bounce to nan gait bowlers, astatine times dangerously so, pinch South Africa besides struggling successful their chase.

Quinton de Kock was bowled having been deed connected nan assemblage but pinch small unit to people quickly, nan Proteas were capable to complete their pursuit successful 8.5 overs.

They now advancement to Saturday's last successful Barbados unbeaten arsenic they look to triumph a World Cup for nan first time.

They will play England aliases India, who meet successful nan 2nd semi-final connected Thursday successful Guyana astatine 15:30 BST.

South Africa’s semi-final struggles person been regular and painful. There was nan rainfall successful 1992, nan melodramatic necktie to Australia successful 1999 and a last-over conclusion by New Zealand successful 2015.

If location were nerves this clip successful nan Caribbean, they would not person been astir for long.

After Jansen struck successful his first over, Kagiso Rabada took 2 successful his first 4 balls arsenic nan shot moved sharply left, right, up and down.

Afghanistan’s spot successful this tourney has been their opening business betwixt Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. Once they departed location was small guidance pinch Azmatullah Omarzai’s 10 nan highest people pinch nan different 10 each successful azygous figures.

There should beryllium immoderate sympathy for Afghanistan – first because of nan aboveground but besides because they were celebrating nan biggest triumph their history little than 48 hours ago. They besides had to woody pinch a four-hour formation hold successful that time.

South Africa, meanwhile, advancement pinch a existent chance of breaking their tourney duck.

They had travel done 5 tight games to scope this constituent and person now progressed connected different unusual night, albeit pinch their apical 3 batters carrying plentifulness of bruises.

Afghanistan’s biggest correction was astatine nan toss. Given nan chance again, skipper Rashid Khan would not person subjected his broadside to batting first connected specified a pitch.

Jansen recovered excessive bounce from his 6ft 9ins, though nan first wicket came erstwhile Gurbaz nicked a afloat shot to slip. In his 2nd over, 1 shot leapt to deed Azmatullah connected nan near elbow.

Ibrahim nicked Rabada’s first transportation and 3 balls later nan South Africa speedy sewage nan shot to seam backmost done nan gross to vessel Mohammad Nabi.

Anrich Nortje besides struck successful his first complete erstwhile Azmatullah deed to heavy screen and later bowled Rashid arsenic nan Afghanistan skipper backed away.

That was of small astonishment aft Rashid had seen a shot assistance disconnected a magnitude and complete nan wicketkeeper earlier successful nan innings.

When it came to South Africa’s pursuit nan first shot kept debased and nan 2nd trim backmost to deed De Kock connected nan body.

Others roseate to walk nan batter astatine throat-height. Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram did small much than past for 29 and 23 respectively. At times it really was not pretty.