Adding to the tournament of new records, tonight’s (June 26) semi-final face-off between South Africa and Afghanistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, in Trinidad will see a new team becoming a first-time finalist at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

With South Africa’s kryptonite Australia being out of the tournament, the Proteas are well-positioned to clinch a place in the finals. Their superb bowling has left them undefeated in this World Cup and defeated defending champions England and World Cup hosts West Indies to finish at the top of Group 2.

West Indies previously thrashed Afghanistan by over 104 runs in the Group Stage Match but fell to South Africa in the Super Eight.

Even with the defeat to West Indies, AFG has still put on the best bowling performance among all teams at the World Cup. Three out of the five highest wicket-takers this World Cup are part of the AFG bowling attack, Fazalhaq Farooqi with 16 wickets, Rashid Khan with 14 wickets, and Naveen-ul-Haq with 13 wickets.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been a key player for Afghanistan, leading the scoring table of this World Cup with 281 runs, and his three-century opening stands with fellow opening batsman Ibrahim Zadran have proved invaluable.

Afghanistan’s maiden World Cup semi-final appearance is a sign of how much the sport has grown in the country since it began there in the 90s.

Should Afghanistan emerge victorious, they will play the winner of Thursday’s match between India and England.