(AFP/AP Photo)
Afghanistan’s Cinderella story at the current T20 World Cup continues as they reach the semi-finals for the first time in their history. They secured this achievement with a thrilling victory over Bangladesh at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown on Monday night.
Sachin Tendulkar, one of cricket’s all-time greats, has acknowledged Afghanistan’s advancement, highlighting their “dedication” and “perseverance” as key factors behind their remarkable performance.
“Afghanistan, your road to the semi-finals has been incredible, overcoming the likes of New Zealand and Australia. Today’s win is a testament to your hard work & determination. So proud of your progress. Keep it up!” Tendulkar posted on Tuesday.
Before the final match of the Super 8 stage commenced, three teams – Afghanistan, Australia, and Bangladesh – were vying for the fourth and final spot in the semi-finals.
Afghanistan’s objective was straightforward: defeat Bangladesh to secure qualification. Australia, on the other hand, needed Bangladesh to win, but not by a significant margin.
Bangladesh had to achieve a substantial victory to leapfrog both Afghanistan and Australia. Initially, they restricted Afghanistan to 115/5 in 20 overs.
In response, Bangladesh needed to chase down the target in 12.1 overs to improve their net run-rate beyond Australia’s. However, Afghanistan thwarted their efforts with a resilient bowling performance, dismissing Bangladesh for 105 in 17.5 overs, thus clinching victory by eight runs.
“It’s a dream for us to be in the semifinals. The way we started the tournament, the belief came when we beat New Zealand. It’s unbelievable,” said Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan.
Securing this victory, Afghanistan advances to their inaugural T20 World Cup semi-final. Their next challenge awaits against South Africa. The other semi-final will showcase past champions India and England.
