Gurbaz’s availability for the upcoming match hinges on his recovery from the knee injury sustained against Bangladesh.
Overview : Afghanistan vs South Africa Match in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
Afghanistan’s cricket journey began in 2004 when they played their first official match in the Asian Cricket Council Trophy, which had 15 teams. Twenty years later, they have amazed the cricketing world by reaching their first ICC World Cup semi-final in a tournament featuring 20 teams.
In just two decades, Afghanistan has accomplished what many teams might take fifty years to achieve. Their success is a blend of raw talent and polished skills, greatly enhanced by exposure to global T20 leagues.
Rashid Khan, their captain and leading spinner, is one of the most sought-after T20 players worldwide. Noor Ahmad, another spinner, complements Rashid with his left-arm variations. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz is known for his aggressive powerplay performances. Fazalhaq Farooqi is emerging as a formidable fast bowler, drawing comparisons to Trent Boult, and Naveen-ul-Haq impresses with his variations, earning praise from bowling consultant and T20 legend, Dwayne Bravo. Notably, eight of the eleven players who defeated Bangladesh recently have participated in IPL 2024. Veteran Mohammad Nabi, who played in Afghanistan’s first official match in 2004, continues to inspire as he competes in their first World Cup semi-final at age 39.
Even without Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who was sidelined after just one game, Afghanistan’s bowling, guided by Bravo’s tactics, has been impressive. They lead in wicket-taking with 57 wickets in this World Cup and have the second-best economy rate of 6.35, just behind South Africa’s 6.10 among the Super-Eight teams.
However, Afghanistan’s batting, especially in the middle order, lacks the same depth. While Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have built several strong opening partnerships, their performance while chasing has been inconsistent.
South Africa, with a strategic approach, could capitalize on this by forcing Afghanistan to chase, aiming to break the opening partnership early and apply pressure on the middle order. Keshav Maharaj, the left-arm spinner, will be crucial against the predominantly right-handed Afghan line-up, especially on a pitch with variable bounce. Tabraiz Shamsi, with his experience in Caribbean conditions, also poses a significant threat.
Though Reeza Hendricks has struggled, South Africa’s dynamic middle order, including Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, and Heinrich Klaasen, is adept at handling spin. Veteran David Miller provides a solid finish to their innings.
South Africa, having faced numerous challenges throughout the ICC World Cup 2024, have managed seven consecutive wins. They need just two more victories to claim their first World Cup title. Both South Africa and India have the opportunity to make history by becoming the first teams to win an ICC T20 World Cup unbeaten.
Team Updates and Key Players Strategy in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
Afghanistan’s key player, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, suffered a knee injury while keeping wicket in the first over against Bangladesh on Monday. He had to leave the field, and Mohammad Ishaq stepped in as a substitute keeper. With Afghanistan not training in Tarouba before the semi-final, Gurbaz’s fitness remains uncertain. If Gurbaz isn’t fit to play, Afghanistan might bring in Hazratullah Zazai at the top and make another change to include Ishaq as a keeper and middle-order batter.
Afghanistan (Probable XI) :
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) / Hazratullah Zazai
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Gulbadin Naib
- Mohammad Nabi
- Karim Janat / Mohammad Ishaq (wk)
- Rashid Khan (capt)
- Nangeyalia Kharote
- Naveen-ul-Haq
- Noor Ahmad
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
South Africa is unlikely to risk replacing Reeza Hendricks with rookie Ryan Rickelton in a crucial semi-final. Considering the variable bounce and spin-friendly conditions at Tarouba, Tabraiz Shamsi will likely keep his place ahead of death-bowling specialist Ottneil Baartman.
South Africa (Probable XI) :
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Reeza Hendricks
- Aiden Markram (capt)
- David Miller
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Tristan Stubbs
- Marco Jansen
- Keshav Maharaj
- Kagiso Rabada
- Anrich Nortje
- Tabraiz Shamsi
For Dream11 enthusiasts looking at the Afghanistan vs South Africa match in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, keep these probable lineups in mind when setting up your team. Make sure to stay updated on the latest team news and match details with our SPONTASY app to make the best choices for your Dream11 lineup.
Recent Track Record
South Africa : [ W , W , W , W , W ]
Afghanistan : [ W , W , L , L , W ]
Key Players in the Limelight for Afghanistan vs South Africa Match in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
In the upcoming clash between Afghanistan and South Africa in the ICC World Cup 2024, all eyes are on Naveen-ul-Haq and Heinrich Klaasen. For Dream 11 enthusiasts, understanding the impact of these players is crucial for making informed picks.
Naveen-ul-Haq [ Afghanistan ]
Afghanistan’s spinners are well-known, but it’s Naveen-ul-Haq who has stepped up significantly. With Mujeeb unavailable, Naveen has taken on a crucial role in the Afghanistan vs South Africa lineup. His impressive delivery to dismiss Travis Head, which swung in towards leg stump before seaming away to hit the middle stump, is considered one of the best balls of the tournament. Naveen’s variety of slower balls has made him difficult to face, especially in the death overs on Caribbean pitches.
Heinrich Klaasen [ South Africa ]
On the other hand, Heinrich Klaasen’s performance against Rashid Khan and other Afghan spinners will be key to the match. Klaasen’s aggressive shots, like his pulls and slog-sweeps, can disrupt any spinner’s rhythm. Since the start of 2023, he has had a strike rate of 182.12 against spin in T20 cricket, the highest among 41 batters who have played at least 40 innings against spin during this period. His ability to handle spin effectively will be crucial for South Africa’s success in the T20 World Cup and particularly in this match against Afghanistan.
As cricket fans and Dream 11 players look forward to the Afghanistan vs South Africa matchup in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the performances of Naveen-ul-Haq and Heinrich Klaasen will be key to watch. Stay tuned for the latest updates and lineups or team generator for this exciting clash with our app SPONTASY .
Pitch Conditions and Statistics
As the ICC World Cup 2024 progresses, the pitch at Tarouba has exhibited variable bounce, a factor noted during the group stage. Recent maintenance efforts by Daren Ganga suggest improved consistency by Wednesday. Dew has historically influenced matches at this CPL venue, although Wednesday’s forecast predicts cloudy skies with minimal rain chances.
Important Stats for Afghanistan vs South Africa According to SPONTASY logs
- Afghanistan’s bowlers have excelled in the powerplay of this T20 World Cup, claiming 20 wickets with an economy rate of 7.19. In contrast, South Africa has secured 10 wickets with a lower economy rate of 5.85.
- The middle-order batters (positions 4-7) of Afghanistan hold the lowest strike rate (102.21) among the Super-Eight teams in this tournament.
- Heinrich Klaasen has accumulated 27 runs against Rashid Khan in 21 balls, dismissed once in T20 cricket. David Miller has faced Rashid more extensively, scoring 50 runs off 42 balls but has succumbed to the spinner four times.
- Remarkably, Afghanistan has yet to secure victories against Full Member nations South Africa and India in international cricket.
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Prepare for an intense showdown between Afghanistan vs South Africa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. As this highly anticipated match approaches, it’s essential to analyze both teams’ strengths and weaknesses to curate a winning cricket lineup.
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