South Africa's men's cricket team has finally broken through to their first-ever T20 World Cup final after a commanding nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the semi-final. This win, marked by a clinical performance from their bowlers and solid batting, ended the long wait for a major final appearance for the Proteas, often labelled as "chokers" in past tournaments.
Led the charge with the new ball, taking 3 wickets for just 16 runs. He removed Afghanistan's top-order batsmen, including Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck.
Delivered a crucial double-wicket maiden, finishing with 2/14 and breaking the backbone of Afghanistan's batting.
Combined to claim the remaining wickets, with Nortje taking 2/7 and Shamsi 3/6.
Afghanistan, batting first after winning the toss, were bowled out for a mere 56 runs, their lowest in T20Is and the lowest ever in a T20 World Cup semi-final.
Their top scorers, Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who had been instrumental throughout the tournament, were dismissed early, leading to a rapid collapse.
Despite losing Quinton de Kock early to Fazalhaq Farooqi, Reeza Hendricks (29 not out) and Aiden Markram (23 not out) guided South Africa to their target within nine overs.
Hendricks sealed the victory with a six and a four off successive balls.
This semi-final victory extends South Africa's winning streak in the tournament to eight matches, showcasing their consistent performance.
It took 18 World Cups and 32 years for South Africa to reach a major ICC tournament final, shedding their "chokers" tag with a dominant performance.
"Awesome feeling. The guys played really well, we executed perfectly. We just wanted to stick to our plan, bowl good lengths and see how the wicket reacts." Marco Jansen, for his decisive performance with the ball.
South Africa's victory over Afghanistan not only marks a significant milestone for their cricketing history but also sets the stage for a potential redemption arc in the T20 World Cup final. With their bowlers in top form and the batting lineup performing steadily, the Proteas look well-equipped to challenge for their first T20 World Cup title. As they prepare for the final, the cricketing world will be keenly watching to see if South Africa can finally lay their hands on a major ICC trophy.