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South Africa achieved a historic milestone by reaching their first-ever final in an ICC World Cup event. They defeated a formidable Afghanistan team in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals on Thursday, extending their unbeaten streak to eight consecutive victories. Now, they are set to face India in the summit clash at Kensington Oval, Barbados on Saturday, June 29. Along their journey to the final, the Proteas claimed victories over strong contenders like England and the West Indies.
In the group stages of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, South Africa kicked off their campaign with a dominant performance against Sri Lanka in Group D. Opting to bowl first at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, the Proteas were led by Anrich Nortje’s four-wicket haul, restricting Sri Lanka to 77 runs. In the chase, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller remained unbeaten to secure victory. South Africa continued their winning streak by defeating the Netherlands and Bangladesh before narrowly clinching a one-run win over Nepal in their final group match, with Tabraiz Shamsi taking four wickets to contain Nepal’s batting lineup.
In the Super 8 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, South Africa continued their winning streak with three consecutive victories. They started by defeating tournament co-hosts USA at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Quinton de Kock’s impressive 70 off 40 balls played a pivotal role in their 18-run victory. Next, the Proteas faced England, the defending champions, and secured a 7-run win with de Kock once again leading the charge with a brilliant 65-run innings. In their final Super 8 match against the West Indies, led by Aiden Markram, South Africa faced rain interruptions in Antigua but managed to edge out a three-wicket win thanks to Tabraiz Shamsi’s crucial four-wicket haul.
In the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, South Africa extended their unbeaten streak by convincingly defeating Afghanistan. Opting to bowl first, South Africa dominated the match with Tabraiz Shamsi and Marco Jansen each taking three wickets. Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje contributed with the remaining four wickets, restricting Afghanistan to just 56 runs. In reply, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram efficiently chased down the target in under nine overs, sealing their place in the T20 World Cup final.
