Semi-Final 1 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024 will be played between South Africa and Afghanistan (SA vs AFG). The match will be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday (IST). In the last match played by South Africa, they beat West Indies by three wickets (DLS method). The top fantasy player for South Africa was Tabraiz Shamsi who scored 85 fantasy points. In Afghanistan’s last match in the tournament, they beat Bangladesh by eight runs (DLS method). The top fantasy player for Afghanistan was Rashid Khan who scored 157 fantasy points.

Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

The pitch at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago is balanced. The average 1st innings score at this venue in the last 20 matches is 117 runs. The team winning the toss should look to bowl first as the majority of the games played on this ground have been won by the chasing side.

Pace or Spin?

The venue is suited for both Pacers and Spinners alike.

Weather Report

Temperature will hover around 23.56 degree C and humidity is expected to be around 91%. Winds at a speed of 1.89 m/s are expected.

Head-to-Head

In the two matches played between these two teams, South Africa has won all their matches. Protea wicket-keepers have earned the most fantasy points for their team, while all-rounders have earned the most fantasy points for Afghanistan.

Fantasy Top Captain and Vice-Captain Picks

Fazalhaq Farooqi

Fazalhaq Farooqi is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 61 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 9.3. Farooqi has picked up 16 wickets in the recent seven matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.38.

Quinton de Kock

Quinton de Kock can be a good pick for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 48 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 7.8. The left-handed opener has scored 199 runs in the recent seven matches at a strike rate of 148.50.

Naveen-ul-Haq

Naveen-ul-Haq can be a good pick for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 60 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 9. The right-arm medium pacer has taken 13 wickets in the recent seven matches at an excellent economy rate of 6.12.

Tristan Stubbs

Tristan Stubbs is a good-to-have player for your Fantasy Team. He has an average of 41 match fantasy points in the last 10 games and a fantasy rating of 7.7. The explosive right-handed batter has scored 134 runs in the recent seven matches at an average of 33.50.

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan is a spin bowler with an average of 75 match fantasy points in the last 10 games, a fantasy rating of 8.2 and is a fairly consistent player in terms of fantasy points. The leg-break bowler has scalped 14 wickets in the recent seven matches at an economy rate of 6.10.

SA vs AFG Possible Playing XI

South Africa (SA) Possible Playing XI: Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Keshav Maharaj and Marco Jansen

Afghanistan (AFG) Possible Playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Nangeyalia Kharote, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi

SA vs AFG Fantasy Team

Wicket-Keeper: Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Quinton de Kock

Batters: Ibrahim Zadran and Tristan Stubbs

All-Rounders: Marco Jansen, Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Nabi

Bowlers: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan and Keshav Maharaj

Captain: Fazalhaq Farooqi

Vice-Captain: Quinton de Kock

South Africa will take on Afghanistan in the Semi-Final 1 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday. South Africa comes into this match with momentum, having defeated West Indies by three wickets (DLS method). Tabraiz Shamsi was the standout performer for South Africa, amassing 85 fantasy points. On the other hand, Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh by eight runs (DLS method) to qualify for the T20 World Cup Semi-Final for the first time. Rashid Khan was the top fantasy performer for Afghanistan, scoring 157 points.

Head-to-Head

Historically, South Africa have dominated Afghanistan in two T20Is both the teams have played each other.

South African wicket-keepers have earned the most fantasy points for their team, while all-rounders have earned the most fantasy points for Afghanistan.

The last meeting between these teams was in Match 20l of the Men’s T20 World Cup, 2016, where AB de Villiers and Mohammad Shahzad scored the highest fantasy points for their respective teams.

Key Players to Watch

Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG)

Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi, a left-arm medium-fast bowler, has been in stellar form, taking 16 wickets in his last seven matches.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG)

Afghanistan’s explosive top-order batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, has been having a dream run in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Gurbaz has smashed 281 runs in the recent seven matches at an average of 40.14.

Quinton de Kock (SA)

Quinton de Kock, South Africa’s star wicketkeeper-batter, has been one of the leading run-scorers in the tournament. The southpaw has amassed 199 runs in the recent seven matches at a strike rate of 148.50.

Anrich Nortje (SA)

South Africa’s fast bowler, Anrich Nortje, has been playing a vital role in their bowling unit since the last two T20 World Cups. Nortje has scalped 11 wickets in the recent seven matches at an economy of 6.0.

Rashid Khan (AFG)

Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan has been leading his side from the front in the ongoing T20 World Cup. The leg spinner has scalped 14 wickets in the recent seven matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.10.

Tristan Stubbs (SA)

South Africa’s explosive middle-order batter, Tristan Stubbs, has been playing an X-factor in the Proteas’ playing XI. The explosive right-handed batter has smashed 134 runs in the recent seven matches at an average of 33.50.