Afghanistan achieved a historic milestone on Tuesday, June 25, at the Arnos Vale Ground by defeating Bangladesh to secure a place in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2024. This monumental victory was marked by jubilant celebrations and expressions of elation, notably from captain Rashid Khan, who took to social media to share his joy. The Blue Tigers’ journey to the Super Eight stage was paved with victories against Papua New Guinea, Uganda, and a formidable New Zealand side.
In the Super Eights, despite a loss to India, Afghanistan bounced back with consecutive wins against Australia and Bangladesh, securing their first-ever semifinal berth in a World Cup. Their path to the semifinals was simplified after India’s triumph over Australia on Monday. Knowing they needed a win against Bangladesh to advance, Rashid Khan’s team delivered, securing an eight-run victory (DLS method) in a rain-affected match.
Following this remarkable win, Rashid Khan posted a celebratory picture with India captain Rohit Sharma on social media, captioning it with the popular Bollywood song “Bambai se aaya mera dost” from the movie “Aap ki Khatir.” Notably, Rohit Sharma had been the Player of the Match in India’s victory over Australia, scoring a swashbuckling half-century.
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In the low-scoring thriller against Bangladesh, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first. On a challenging pitch, openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provided a steady start, adding 59 runs in the first 11 overs. Gurbaz top-scored with a resilient 55-ball 43. Although the middle-order struggled, Rashid Khan’s quickfire 19 not out from 10 balls helped Afghanistan set a target of 116 in 20 overs. Due to a rain delay, the target was revised to 114 in 19 overs.
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In response, Bangladesh’s Litton Das carried his bat, scoring an unbeaten 54 off 49 balls. However, only two other Bangladeshi batsmen reached double figures. Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq delivered outstanding bowling performances, each taking four wickets, as Bangladesh were bowled out for 105 in 17.5 overs.
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With the league and Super Eights stages offering several thrilling encounters, Afghanistan now gears up to face the unbeaten South African team in the first semifinal on Thursday, June 27, at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad. Meanwhile, Team India is set to clash with England in the second semifinal at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on the same day. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the T20 World Cup 2024, with both semifinals promising high-octane cricket.
