Match details
Afghanistan vs South Africa
Tarouba, 8.30pm local time
Big picture: Afghanistan look to continue dream run
In just 20 years, they have achieved what many teams might take 50 years to do. Afghanistan have always had the raw talent. They’ve now married it with elite skills and continue to upgrade them, thanks to global T20 exposure.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman was sidelined from the tournament after playing a solitary game, but Afghanistan, under Bravo’s tactical guidance, have still had enough depth to roll over oppositions. No attack has taken more wickets than Afghanistan’s 57 in this World Cup and their economy rate of 6.35 is second only to South Africa’s 6.10 among the Super-Eight teams.
Afghanistan, however, don’t have as much depth in their batting, especially in the middle order. And while Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have struck up four 50-plus partnerships while batting first, their stands while chasing are eight against PNG, zero against West Indies, and 13 against India.
Though Reeza Hendricks is struggling for form at the top, South Africa have a dynamic middle order with all of Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs and Heinrich Klaasen capable of countering spin, and a vastly experienced David Miller around to finish the innings.
South Africa have been on the precipice at several points during the World Cup, but they have somehow hauled themselves back to claim seven successive wins across challenging conditions. They need to win two more to secure their maiden World Cup title. No team has ever won a T20 World Cup unbeaten, so South Africa and India have the chance to rewrite history this time.
Form guide
Afghanistan WWLLW (last five T20Is, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWW
In the spotlight: Naveen-ul-Haq and Heinrich Klaasen
Team news: Gurbaz’s fitness under cloud
Gurbaz had suffered a blow on his knee while keeping wicket in the first over of Afghanistan’s defence against Bangladesh on Monday and immediately left the field with Mohammad Ishaq stepping in as a substitute keeper. Afghanistan didn’t train in Tarouba on the eve of the semi-final, and it remains to be seen if Gurbaz is fit to play. If Gurbaz doesn’t recover in time, Afghanistan might bring in Hazratullah Zazai at the top and perhaps make another change to squeeze Ishaq in as a keeper and middle-order batter.
Afghanistan (probable): 1 Ibrahim Zadran, 2 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)/Hazratullah Zazai, 3 Azmatullah Omarzai, 4 Gulbadin Naib, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Karim Janat/Mohammad Ishaq (wk), 7 Rashid Khan (capt), 8 Nangeyalia Kharote, 9 Naveen-ul-Haq, 10 Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
South Africa might not run the risk of replacing Hendricks with rookie Ryan Rickelton in a semi-final. Considering the variable bounce and purchase for spinners at Tarouba, Shamsi will also likely keep his place ahead of death-bowling specialist Ottneil Baartman.
South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 David Miller, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi
Pitch and conditions: More variable bounce?
Stats and trivia: Afghanistan’s brittle middle order
- Afghanistan bowlers have dominated the powerplay in this T20 World Cup, taking 20 wickets at an economy rate of 7.19 during this phase. In comparison, South Africa have managed only ten wickets though their economy rate (5.85) is lower than Afghanistan’s.
- Afghanistan’s middle-order batters (Nos. 4-7) have the lowest strike rate (102.21) among the Super-Eight teams in this World Cup.
- Klaasen has scored 27 runs against Rashid off 21 balls while being dismissed once in T20 cricket. The sample size is slightly bigger for Miller vs Rashid, with the match-up in favour of the wristspinner: 50 runs off 42 balls with four dismissals.
- South Africa and India are the only two Full Members Afghanistan have not beaten in international cricket so far.
Quotes
“For us, it’s a new challenge and I think that makes us dangerous in the semi-finals as a side with nothing to lose and obviously a lot of pressure on the opposition.”
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott
“Definitely, it’s always great to dream and I think everyone in South Africa dreams of the time when a trophy gets lifted.”
South Africa coach Rob Walter
Deivarayan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
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