Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first in their T20 World Cup match against South Africa at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad.
Afghanistan pulled off an incredible victory over Bangladesh on their way to a maiden semifinal appearance at an ICC event. Much of their success has come courtesy of the dynamic spin duo of their captain, Rashid Khan, and Noor Ahmed. The two look like mirror versions of each other, one being right-handed and the other a southpaw. The pair has had support from Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq, who are carving names for themselves as lethal pacers.
Their batting has been propped up by Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran's opening stand. The pair has established four partnerships of 50 or more runs in the tournament so far. Three of those stands have put up more than 100 runs for Afghanistan. Gurbaz and Zadran have scored the bulk of their team's runs.
Afghanistan's international journey can be traced through Mohammad Nabi's travails on the field. The 39-year-old was there when Afghanistan played their first international match and now hopes to see his side achieve their highest honour at ICC events. South Africa has had an eventful campaign, playing seven tight games on their way to the summits of their groups in the pool stages and Super 8s. As their captain, Aiden Markram, remarked in a post-match press conference, they are yet to produce a flawless performance with both bat and ball. Their bowling has been the most consistent unit, first by making good use of conditions in New York and then holding their own in the Caribbean leg of their campaign.
Markram will hope that his opening pair of Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks will give them a good start. The duo has not enjoyed a great campaign as a pair at the top. While de Kock has found his touch, things are yet to click into place for Hendricks. Their inability to find their groove is the reason why South Africa has had one of the lowest run rates in the powerplay, accompanied by a low average. They have not always provided their middle order with a solid platform to launch from.
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