Afghanistan beat Bangladesh to qualify for semi-final of T20 World Cup 2024

Defending a revised target of 114 runs in 19 overs, the Afghan bowlers successfully bowled out Bangladesh for 105 runs

PHOTO: AFP

Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by eight runs (DLS) in the last Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Tuesday to secure their place in the semi-final of the tournament.

Defending a revised target of 114 runs in 19 overs, the Afghan bowlers successfully bowled out Bangladesh for 105 runs.

Opener Litton Das remained unbeaten with 54 runs off 49 balls, but he lacked support from his teammates as Afghanistan achieved a historic victory.

Rashid and pacer Naveen-ul-Haq spearheaded the bowling attack, each taking four wickets.

Rain interruptions during the second innings kept fans on the edge of their seats.

At the start of the chase, three teams—Australia, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh—were still vying for a spot in the semi-finals. Bangladesh needed to chase 115 runs in 12.4 overs to secure their place, Australia required a Bangladesh win after 12.4 overs, and Afghanistan simply needed a win. Despite the tense scenarios, Afghanistan ultimately prevailed.

Earlier in the match, Bangladesh's bowlers restricted Afghanistan to 115 for five after opting to bat first on a challenging pitch in St Vincent. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain led the Bangladeshi bowling effort, taking three wickets for 26 runs, as the Afghan top order struggled against the varied attack.

Afghanistan needed a win to advance to the semi-finals and eliminate Australia from the tournament. Despite a promising start, with an opening partnership of 59 runs in 10.4 overs, Afghanistan couldn't fully capitalize. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who top-scored with a slow 43 off 55 balls, epitomized the difficulty in accelerating the scoring rate.

Ibrahim Zadran and Azmatullah Omarzai reached double figures, but the scoring remained sluggish. Taskin Ahmed, who was brought into the Bangladeshi side after their heavy defeat to India, delivered an excellent four-over spell, giving away only 12 runs and taking the wicket of former captain Mohammad Nabi.

In the final overs, Afghan skipper Rashid Khan provided some late fireworks, hitting three sixes in his unbeaten 19, pushing the total just over the 100-run mark. This effort ultimately proved crucial as Afghanistan's bowlers managed to defend the modest total and secure a semi-final berth.