Afghanistan have Mohammad Nabi in their team. Nabi was a part of the Afghan team when they played their first official match in 2004. Then, they also have Noor Ahmad, who was not born when his country played their first international game.
As they play their first World Cup semifinal on June 27, the Afghan team, led by Rashid Khan, face an opposition they have never managed to defeat: South Africa.
South Africa and Afghanistan have played 2 ODIs and 2 T20 cricket matches against each other. The Proteas have won all of those. In the T20 World Cups, South Africa defeated the Afghans by 37 runs in 2016 and by 59 runs in 2010.
South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, have remained unbeaten in the tournament and need two more wins to secure their first World Cup title. The Proteas, or India, will make history if they win without losing a match because it will be the first time any team will win the trophy while remaining undefeated.
Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the highest run-scorer in the tournament, injured his knee during the Bangladesh match and left the field immediately.
It is uncertain if the Afghan batter is fit enough to play the next match. This causes worry for Afghanistan as their middle order hasn’t managed to deliver much.
The AFG vs SA match will be played at the The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. The bounce was inconsistent there during the group stage. However, the bounce is expected to improve after two weeks of work on the pitch. Dew has often been a major factor at this venue.
A morning thunderstorm is expected in one or two spots. Variable cloudiness is likely otherwise. While the match will probably be affected by light rain, no heavy downpour will possibly ruin the entire game.
Star Sports Network will show the Afghanistan vs South Africa T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal match. You can watch it with English commentary on Star Sports 1 HD and SD channels. For Hindi commentary, tune into Star Sports 3 HD and SD channels.
Those who want to watch the live stream of the cricket match online can do so on the Disney+ Hotstar app. The Afghanistan vs South Africa T20I match on June 27 will start at 6 AM (India time).
