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| Team Afghanistan in ICC T20 World Cup 2024 |
Afghanistan created history on
Tuesday by defeating Bangladesh by 8 runs via the DLS method in a rain-affected
Super 8 match, qualifying for their first ever T20 World Cup semifinal and
eliminating Australia in the process.
Batting first after winning the
toss, Afghanistan scored 115-5 in their 20 overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scored
with 43 off 55 balls, while Rashid Khan provided a late flourish with an
unbeaten 19 off 10 deliveries. For Bangladesh, Rishad Hossain was the pick of
the bowlers with figures of 3-26.
In reply, Bangladesh were set a
revised target of 114 from 19 overs due to rain interruptions. Despite Litton
Das's unbeaten 54 off 49 balls, Bangladesh were bowled out for 105 in 17.5
overs. Naveen-ul-Haq was the star with the ball for Afghanistan, claiming 4-26.
Rashid Khan also chipped in with 4-23.
Afghanistan's victory means they
finish as runners-up in Super 8 Group 1, while Australia, who had lost to India
earlier, are knocked out of the tournament. The controversial tactics employed
by Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott to slow down the game when rain threatened
to interrupt play drew criticism for going against the spirit of cricket.
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| AFG vs BAN scorecard |
Afghanistan will now face South Africa in the first semifinal on June 27, while India take on England in the other semifinal. It is a historic achievement for Afghanistan, who have reached the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time