Afghanistan Reaches T20 World Cup Semifinals for the First Time

Rashid Khan Leads the Way with Stellar Performance

Kingstown [St. Vincent], June 25: Afghanistan’s cricket team has made history by reaching the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2024 for the first time. The team, led by skipper Rashid Khan, secured an 8-run victory over Bangladesh in the Super Eights match.

Rashid Khan was the star of the match, taking four wickets and giving away only 23 runs in his four-over spell. His performance was crucial in defending Afghanistan’s total. Speaking after the match, Rashid expressed his joy, saying, “It’s something like a dream for us as a team to be in the semifinal. The belief came when we beat New Zealand.”

Afghanistan batted first, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz scoring 43 runs from 55 balls. Contributions from Ibrahim Zadran and Rashid Khan added crucial runs, bringing the total to 115-5. Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain took three wickets, giving away 26 runs.

Rain reduced the second inning to 19 overs, setting a target of 114 runs for Bangladesh. Litton Das was the standout batter for Bangladesh, scoring 54* runs. However, Afghanistan’s bowlers, including Naveen-ul-Haq and Rashid Khan, who took four wickets each, ensured an 8-run victory.

This win also resulted in Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, being eliminated from the tournament, finishing third in Group 1 of the Super Eights with just two points.