afg vs sa
Afghanistan vs South Africa Semifinal: The Afghanistan team has performed remarkably in the T20 World Cup 2024, having defeated New Zealand, Australia, and Bangladesh in the Super-8 round to secure their first-ever semifinal appearance. They will now face South Africa on 27 June at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad, where the team that emerges victorious will book their place in the final for the first time. Here’s an analysis of the pitch report of the Trinidad ground.
Bowlers can get help
The Trinidad pitch has so far aided bowlers in the T20 World Cup, although batsmen can still score heavily in the beginning. Out of four matches played on this ground, no team has managed to cross the 150-run mark. This could prove beneficial for the Afghan team, who played a match here and defeated Papua New Guinea by 7 wickets.
If spinners receive even slight support from the pitch, the Afghan team, led by their star spinners Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Noor Ahmed, can overwhelm South Africa. The South African team has secured a semifinal spot for the first time in 10 years, boasting a strong lineup.
Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad statistics
Total T20I matches: 11
Matches won while batting first: 4
Matches won while bowling first: 7
Average score of first innings: 135 runs
Average score of second innings: 122 runs
Highest score: England 167 runs
Lowest score: Uganda 40 runs
Lowest score defended: West Indies 149 runs
Squad of both teams for T20 World Cup:
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Umarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (captain), Nangeyalia Kharote, Noor Ahmed, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Najibullah Zadran, Fareed Ahmed Malik, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Ishaq
South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Aiden Markram (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Gerald Coetzee, Ryan Rickelton, Bjorn Fortuin, Ottneil Bartman