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‘Absolute Cinema’ - Fans react as Afghanistan qualify for T20 World Cup semi-finals for first time in history, knock Australia out

Before the outcome of this game, a total of three teams were vying for a place in the knockouts and Afghanistan held their nerve to grab it.

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Jerin K Tomy
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Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in Super 8s (Source: X)

Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in Super 8s (Source: X)

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Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in their final Super 8 match on Tuesday (June 25) to secure their berth in the semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup. It was the best day in sporting history for Afghanistan as they qualified for the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time in their history. Afghanistan's victory means that the 2021 champions, Australia, are officially out of the tournament.

There was plenty of drama in the crucial rain-soaked encounter at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St Vincent. Before the outcome of this game, a total of three teams were vying for a place in the knockouts and Afghanistan held their nerve to grab it. A fitting end to the Super 8 stage of the World Cup as Afghanistan won by 8 runs (via the DLS method).  

Opting to bat first, Afghanistan got off to a slow start as the Bangladesh bowlers took maximum advantage of the sluggish nature of the pitch. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran once again led the charge as the duo spent more than 10 overs at the crease, scoring 58 runs.

However, frequent loss of wickets did not allow Afghanistan to capitalize on a strong foundation. Bangladesh managed to dismiss Azmatullah Omarzai (10 off 12) and Gurbaz (43 off 55) and ignited a mini-collapse. They lost half the side for 34 runs in a bid to accelerate the scoring rate. However, Rashid Khan’s impactful cameo (19* off 10) helped the team post 115-5.

Also Read: Livid Rashid Khan throws bat at Karim Janat for denying single in must-win AFG vs BAN Super 8 clash

Naveen, Rashid Khan tear apart Bangladesh's batting 

Bangladesh needed to reach the target in 12.1 overs to qualify for the semi-final. They got off to a poor start as Fazalhaq Farooqi removed Tanzid Hasan for a duck in the second over. The Afghan bowlers managed to strike frequently, but Litton Das held on at one end, threatening to take the game away from the opposition.

Barring Litton’s 54* off 49, there were not many contributions from the rest of the Bangla batters. Eventually, the Bangla Tigers were bundled out for 105 runs in 17.5 overs. Naveen-ul-Haq grabbed four wickets at an economy of 6.80 and won the Player of the Match. Captain Rashid Khan also took four wickets, while Gulbadin Naib and Farooqi picked up one each. 

Here's how fans reacted to Afghanistan's famous win: 

T20 World Cup Australia Bangladesh Afghanistan