T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan thrashes Bangladesh by 8 runs to qualify in their first ever Semi Final

Afghanistan secured a dramatic 8-run win via the DLS method against Bangladesh in a rain-affected Super 8 encounter, clinching their first-ever semifinal berth in a major ICC event. This victory also eliminated Australia from the tournament, as they needed a Bangladesh win to advance. Despite Litton Das's valiant unbeaten half-century, Rashid Khan's remarkable four-wicket haul and his late cameo with the bat propelled Afghanistan to a memorable win. 

Rashid Khan: The All-Round Hero

Afghanistan's innings started on a shaky note, with openers Gurbaz and Zadran facing a barrage of hostile deliveries from the Bangladeshi pacers. Despite several close calls and misses, they managed to keep their wickets intact through the powerplay, a psychological win for the Afghan side. Their cautious approach and sharp running between the wickets compensated for the lack of boundaries, laying a tentative foundation for the innings.

However, the middle order struggled to capitalize, with Ibrahim Zadran and Omarzai falling while attempting to accelerate. Gurbaz's fighting 43 and quick dismissals of Naib and Nabi further dented Afghanistan's innings. It was Rashid Khan's dramatic final over, scoring 19 off 10 balls, that lifted Afghanistan to a defendable total of 115.

In response, Bangladesh's bowlers, particularly Taskin Ahmed and Tanzim Hasan Sakib, peppered the Afghan openers with relentless back-of-length deliveries, creating constant peril. Rishad Hossain's match-altering spell, taking three crucial wickets, and Mustafizur Rahman's sensational penultimate over, conceding just one run, seemed to tilt the game in Bangladesh's favor. Despite these efforts, Bangladesh's fielding errors and inability to break the Afghan defenses during the powerplay proved costly.

Bangladesh's Faltering Chase

Chasing 115, Bangladesh needed to achieve the target in 12.1 overs to qualify for the semifinals but kept losing wickets early. Frequent rain interruptions and a series of setbacks further disrupted their momentum. Litton Das, who had been struggling with form, stood out with a stellar half-century, keeping Bangladesh in the hunt. Despite Das's determination, Bangladesh's innings fell apart as wickets tumbled around him. Numbers 10 and 11 fell on successive deliveries, leaving Das stranded at the other end. This marked only the second instance in T20 World Cup history where a batter carried his bat in a losing cause.

Afghanistan's triumph was met with sheer delight from players, coaching staff, and fans alike, marking a historic moment for the team. Their resilience and determination have turned an impossible dream into reality, as they storm into their first-ever T20 World Cup semifinal. For Bangladesh, the loss meant finishing winless in the Super Eight stage, a disappointing end to their campaign.

This victory not only highlights Afghanistan's growing prowess in international cricket but also signifies a significant milestone in their cricketing journey, inspiring many future cricketers from the region. Now we move to the last leg of the tournament where the Titans of the game will clash and the ultimate winner will claim the crown. Here's the remaining Fixture of the tournament. 

Inputs by Agencies

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