Ahmedabad: Afghanistan made a promising start after winning the toss and opting to bat against South Africa in the Cricket World Cup 2023. Hashmatullah Shahidi’s decision seemed wise initially, but the momentum shifted when Keshav Maharaj took charge. In the first 10 overs, Maharaj made a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz on his first ball. Subsequently, he sent Gerald Coetzee and Ibrahim Zadran back to the pavilion, the latter having scored a century in Afghanistan’s previous match. Shahidi also fell victim to Maharaj’s bowling.
In the context of the World Cup, Afghanistan, currently tied on points with Pakistan, theoretically retains a slim chance of reaching the top four. However, their poor net run rate diminishes the feasibility of this scenario. Afghanistan’s hopes suffered a major blow when they faced an extraordinary innings against Australia, squandering a favorable position and allowing Glenn Maxwell to deliver a remarkable performance.
Despite this setback, Afghanistan should reflect on their commendable achievements in the tournament. With only two World Cup wins before this edition, they secured three more victories, defeating former champions Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and England. Their performances highlighted that they are more than just a team reliant on star spinners or categorized as T20 specialists.
As they conclude their campaign against South Africa, who have secured a spot in the semi-finals but are recovering from a significant loss to India, Afghanistan faces a challenging task. South Africa, plagued by Achilles tendon issues for Lungi Ngidi and struggling in chases, will aim to regain their form. Afghanistan, however, has demonstrated resilience and skill throughout the tournament, making this clash an intriguing encounter despite their mathematical elimination from semi-final contention.
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