T20 World Cup: Will Afghanistan’s dream continue or South Africa’s curse end? | Cricket News

Sixteen years after playing at the lowest level of international cricket, Afghanistan are thriving at the top.

Their previous rivals were Japan, Botswana, Bahamas and Jersey but, after a stunning rise in the sport, they will now face South Africa on Thursday, live on sky sports from 1am, for a place in this weekend’s T20 World Cup final, against England or India.

Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan described reaching the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time as a “dream” after their place was secured with a heartbreaking victory over Bangladesh.

But there are reasons to believe that this “dream” can be extended. For an established cricket country to lose to Afghanistan is no longer a surprise.

They have defeated Bangladesh, New Zealand and Australia in this tournament (their 21-run victory over the latter was crucial in taking them to the semi-finals) and beat Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England in the year’s 50-over World Cup. past. In India. They were also on course to defeat Australia, only to be denied by Glenn Maxwell’s mesmerizing double century.

Sky Sports Cricket Nasser Hussain said of Afghanistan: “Don’t attribute this to the shortest format and say it is an anomaly, that is nonsense. They are the nation that has improved the most in cricket in the last five years because of the skill they have.

“Because they have that ability, franchises look for them – IPL, The Hundred, Big Bash. Everyone wants players from Afghanistan. Rashid is probably the most sought after, but there are others. Because they are sought after, then they improve.” , more experienced.

“Aside from their skill, they have a lot of passion and love for the game. I think Jonathan Trott is good for them as a head coach with his aggressiveness, Trotty calms them down behind the scenes. He doesn’t get furious on the bench.”

Afghanistan may have preferred to be in the day semi-final in Guyana, rather than the night match in Trinidad, as the success of their spin bowling on drier surfaces is considered a key strength and spin master Rashid bagged 14 lands.

But their main wicket-keepers in this competition are fast bowlers, with left-arm spinner Fazalhaq Farooqi taking the most shots with 16 and right-arm spinner Naveen-ul-Haq bagging 13. Fellow seamer Gulbadin Naib, he of ‘injured’ leg – has also contributed seven, including 4-20 against Australia.

A match under the lights may not be a big problem for Afghanistan. What can be a problem is the strength of the opposition.

Will undefeated South Africa put an end to the chaos of the semi-finals?

South Africa is the only team to win all seven of its matches (India could have done the same had its match against Canada not been rained out), and the Proteas perhaps hardened by some of those victories were extremely tight and very nervous.

Aiden Markram’s men went 12-4 in a chase of 104 against the Netherlands. They beat Bangladesh by four runs in a minute in New York. They beat their partner country Nepal by one run in a thrilling finale in Kingstown. And that was just in the first round.

In the Super 8s, South Africa staved off a spirited United States comeback and triumphed by 18 runs. Then, thanks to some excellent death bowling, they recovered from an England comeback to beat Jos Buttler’s team by seven runs after the defending champions reduced their order to 25 off 18 balls during a wild partnership between Harry Brook and Liam Livingstone for the fifth wicket. .

Finally, in their must-win clash against the West Indies, the Proteas claimed victory with five balls to spare in a DLS tight chase of 123 when Jansen, one of the stars of the death bowling against England, hit a six off the bat to take his team to their eighth World Cup semi-final in the T20 and 50 overs versions.

This is where the real test for South Africa begins. They have lost each of their previous seven semi-finals, which is the main reason for the “chokers” tag that follows them.

The most recent of those defeats came in the 50-over edition in India last fall, when they lost to Australia by three wickets.

The most heartbreaking probably came against the same opposition at Edgbaston in 1999, when they drew – and were eliminated due to a lower net run rate in the group stage – when Allan Donald was left comically exhausted after looking at the ball and dropping his bat.

South Africa fans will be hoping that the close matches their team has faced in this T20 World Cup can help them end the semi-final jinx if things get anxious against Afghanistan.

But they will hope more than anything that there is no anxiety whatsoever and that a star-studded bowling line-up and a hard-hitting batsman can complete a comfortable victory in Tarouba.

Pacer Anrich Nortje (11 wickets) and Kagiso Rabada (10) have been supported with the ball by left-hand spinner Keshav Maharaj, while we have seen flashes with the bat of Quinton de Kock in two half-centuries, one of which came against England.

A World Cup semi-final would be the perfect time for Heinrich Klassen, one of the most destructive batsmen in world white-ball cricket, to fire his best-ever 46 off 44 balls against Bangladesh on a tricky New Zealand pitch. York.

One of these teams is going to reach its first World Cup final. A dream will continue or a voodoo will be banished.

Watch the first semi-final of the T20 World Cup live, between South Africa and Afghanistan, in Trinidad aerial sports cricket starting at 1am on Thursday (1.30am first dance).

England will then play India in the second semi-final, in Guyana, starting at 3:00 p.m. on the same channel and the first ball at 3:30 p.m.

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