SA vs AFG T20 World Cup Semi-final Highlights: SA qualify for maiden World Cup final, thrash Afghanistan

South Africa, after multiple heartbreaks in the semi-finals in ICC World Cups in both ODIs and T20Is, have finally qualified for a men's final, a year after the women did it at home last year in the Women's T20 World Cup.

Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram have gotten through a few nervous moments and stitched a crucial partnership after losing an early wicket.

Fazalhaq Farooqi has cleaned up Quinton de Kock as he has taken his tally to 17 wickets in the tournament. Quinton de Kock went for a wild swing but completely missed an incoming delivery from Farooqi as South Africa have also lost an early wicket.

South Africa would aim to track the target down quickly as they aim to qualify for their maiden men's final in ICC World Cup history.

Shamsi has his third, all of them LBWs as Naveen ul Haq went in to sweep but the ball wasn't there for that shot and was trapped in front by Shamsi. Afghanistan have been bowled out for 56, the lowest team score in a T20 World Cup semi-final and lowest ever for Afghanistan in T20Is.

Anrich Nortje got his second wicket as he cleaned up Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan. There was a little aaji-baaji between both the players and Nortje finally has his man.

Tabraiz Shamsi has been introduced into the attack and has gotten two wickets in the over as Afghanistan's downslide continues. Shamsi has trapped Karim Janat and Noor Ahmad to leave Afghanistan eight down. Afghanistan further slip into disaster.

It has been a procession for Afghanistan and it continues as they have lost their six wickets and not even crossed 30. South African bowlers have been simply unplayable on a surface that has assisted seam bowling and Afghanistan have seen probably all their batters go back in the shed.

Nangeyalia Kharote felt like a fish out of the water against the seam, swing and pace of Proteas bowlers and Jansen has gotten his third wicket getting him out on the leg side, edging it through to the keeper.

Afghanistan will be feeling a bit out of place right now. Batting first, they hadn't had such a situation to deal with as their opening pair was giving them great starts but now they find themselves at 20/4. This is the lowest score for a team with four wickets down in a T20 World Cup semi-final as Rabada bowled an absolute peach to get rid of Mohammad Nabi.

Kagiso Rabada is into the attack and Afghanistan lose their third wicket as the incoming delivery stayed a bit low and Ibrahim Zadran missed it completely to see his leg stump getting shattered. This has not been a great start for South Africa.

After being wayward for a few deliveries, bowling wide and getting hit for a boundary, Jansen struck back with a delivery top of the off-stumpa nd Gulbadin Naib's feet went nowhere. South Africa are two down early for just 20.

It wasn't a great delivery from Marco Jansen, full outside the off-stump but just had enough shape outside that it took Gurbaz's outside edge straight into the hands of the slip fielder and South Africa have a big breakthrough early on in the innings.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan(c), Nangeyalia Kharote, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi

Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan won the toss and elected to bat first saying that it was a fresh wicket and going with the bat out there was the best option for them, as they have in the last few games which they have won.

63m square boundaries on either side and a 75m straight boundary for the centre wicket, a fresh one for the big game. There will be help for the seamers as well as spin bowlers. Even though 38 out of 51 wickets have been taken by the seamers, the nature of the surfaces in Tarouba has been slow and it might be the case once again. It is a bat first wicket and 140-150 could be a good score.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was clenching his hamstring as he walked off in pain and was limping while Afghanistan celebrated their semi-final qualification. There has been no clarity on his fitness but if the opening batter misses the semi-final, it might be a body blow for the Afghans, as the destructive opener has been the leading run-getter in the tournament and his absence at the top brings South Africa early into the game.

Knockouts have been South Africa's Achilles Heel, especially in the ICC World Cups where the Proteas have stumbled as many as seven times in the semis, twice in the T20 version and five times in the ODI World Cup. Hence, the tag of chokers. The 2024 edition has been anything but that for the Proteas with the Aiden Markram side prevailing in at least four close games. However, the lack of a complete performance from South Africa keeps Afghanistan in good stead.

South Africa vs Afghanistan might have looked like a mismatch before the start of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup but the way the Proteas have played, sneaking across the line in at least four matches, but still staying unbeaten. The run Rashid Khan and Co has had, the latter are very capable of toppling the South Africans, especially on a surface in Tarouba, Trinidad which they have played on and one that might suit their attack.