
(Credit X)
Brad Hogg took a dig at Afghanistan after their loss to South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final. He indirectly referenced Gulbadin Naib’s controversial injury incident during Afghanistan’s Super 8 match against Bangladesh.
Afghanistan had earlier defeated Australia by 21 runs in the Super 8 stage and subsequently secured their spot in the semi-finals by defeating Bangladesh. However, their journey ended with a defeat to South Africa in the semi-final, marking their first-ever appearance in the World Cup semi-finals.
During the match against Bangladesh, Gulbadin Naib’s injury incident sparked debate and criticism. The Afghan all-rounder appeared to feign a hamstring injury while fielding, prompting discussions among fans and cricket pundits about gamesmanship tactics.
Brad Hogg – Afghanistan Still Suffering A Bit Of CrampÂ
Marco Jansen was awarded the “Player of the Match” for his exceptional bowling performance in the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal. Afghanistan’s captain, Rashid Khan, opted to bat first after winning the toss at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on Wednesday, June 26 (local time). Marco Jansen set the tone early by dismissing in-form batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck in the first over of the knockout match.
The Afghanistan batting lineup struggled against the seasoned South African pacers, losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually getting bowled out for just 56 runs. This total marked the lowest-ever in a T20 World Cup semifinal. Azmatullah Omarzai was the sole batsman to reach double digits.
Marco Jansen led the bowling attack with figures of 3 wickets for 16 runs in his three overs. Kagiso Rabada (2/14) and Anrich Nortje (2/7) also contributed effectively with the ball. Tabraiz Shamsi further dismantled the Afghan tail, taking 3 wickets for just 6 runs in 1.5 overs to wrap up their innings.
In reply, South Africa chased down the target comfortably despite an early setback. Reeza Hendricks (29*) and Aiden Markram (23*) guided the team to victory in under nine overs. With this win, the Proteas booked their place in the final in Barbados on Saturday, June 29, where they will face the winner of the India vs England semifinal.