In the pulsating atmosphere of the Tarouba stadium, South Africa's bowling attack unleashed a symphony of precision and accuracy, dismantling Afghanistan's batting lineup for a paltry 56 runs, the lowest total in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup. The Proteas' pace trio of Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, and Anrich Nortje spearheaded the demolition, ripping the heart out of Afghanistan's top order.
Afghanistan's skipper, Rashid Khan, elected to bat first, but his decision proved disastrous as his batsmen crumbled under the relentless pressure applied by the South African bowlers. Only one Afghan batsman, Azmatullah Omarzai, managed to reach double figures, scoring a solitary 10 runs, highlighting the dominance of the Proteas' bowling attack.
Marco Jansen initiated the carnage, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the second over, with Reeza Hendricks completing a simple catch at slip. Gulbadin Naib's dismissal, courtesy of another Jansen delivery, deepened Afghanistan's woes, plunging them into a state of disarray.
The Afghan batters' irrationality compounded the brilliance of the South African bowlers, leading to two calamitous dismissals. Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan's batting mainstay, failed to adjust his feet against a Rabada delivery that nipped back, resulting in his leg stump being shattered. Mohammad Nabi's departure, just three balls later, followed a similar pattern, with Rabada finding the outside edge of his bat, exposing his off stump.
Anrich Nortje joined the party, claiming the wicket of Azmatullah Omarzai, whose reckless slash found Tristan Stubbs in the deep. Gurbaz, Zadran, and Omarzai, the trio responsible for Afghanistan's batting success in the tournament, were dismissed for a combined 12 runs, a testament to South Africa's bowling prowess.
Skipper Rashid Khan, who could have provided some stability, opted for a reckless shot, exposing his stumps to Nortje, only to see his hopes of a substantial score evaporate. Leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi delivered the final blow, capturing the wickets of Karim Jannat and Noor Ahmad in the same over, extinguishing Afghanistan's resistance.
South Africa's clinical performance has placed them in a commanding position, setting the stage for a thrilling title clash against either India or England, the victors of the second semifinal. The Proteas' bowling brilliance has cast a shadow over Afghanistan's dreams of reaching their maiden World Cup final, showcasing the gulf in class between the two teams on this historic evening.
