TAROUBA: Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi took three wickets apiece as South Africa skittled Afghanistan for 56 on their way to a comprehensive nine-wicket victory in the first Twenty20 World Cup semifinal in Trinidad on Wednesday.
It was a first victory in eight short-format World Cup semifinals going back to 1992 for the Proteas, who will play the winner of Thursday’s second semifinal between India and holders England in their first final on Saturday.
The perennial underachievers looked anything but as they ripped through the Afghan batting in less than 12 overs at Brian Lara Stadium to restrict their shellshocked opponents to their lowest ever score in T20 internationals.
South Africa’s batting has stuttered at times during the tournament and Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled Quinton de Kock early, but Reeza Hendricks and skipper Aiden Markram got the Proteas to their target without further losses inside nine overs.