Pressure on Proteas to make it to T20 World Cup final

South Africans are waiting with bated breath to see how the Proteas will do against Afghanistan tomorrow in their semi-final showdown in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

The Proteas go into this crunch match, after knocking out the tournament’s co-hosts, the West Indies, on Monday.

South Africa has made it this far, without a loss, adding pressure to the team to win their next match.

The game will take place at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, at 2:30am (SA time).

Coach, Rob Walter, says they know it won’t be easy to make it to the final.

 

Walter says they just need to have the confidence that they can make it to the final.

South Africa, who won the 1998 Champions Trophy, have a history of failing to progress and choking in the semi-finals at previous World Cups.

The Proteas made it to the final four times with seven wins in seven matches.

Team captain, Aiden Markram, says while he is looking forward to the showdown, he knows it won’t be easy.

All-rounder, Marco Jansen, says they are aware that they are not invincible.

In the other semi-final, set to take place at 16:30 also on Thursday, India will take on England.

In the case of either match being washed out, the team that finished higher in their respective Super Eight groups will proceed.

That would mean we will have an India-South Africa final.

The Squads

South Africa: Aiden Markram (C), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Hazratullah Zazai, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.

 

Can you feel the tension? 👀

Can you feel the excitement, the anticipation! 💥🏏

Our Proteas are hard at work preparing for their all-important Semi-Final clash with Afghanistan on 27 June. 🇿🇦vs🇦🇫

#WozaNawe# BePartOfIt#OutOfThisWorld #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ibVxFEUImY

— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 26, 2024

🇿🇦 Good luck to our Proteas as they face Afghanistan in the World T20 semi-final tomorrow. Knock it out of the park and show them who’s the cricket king!#ProudlySouthAfrican pic.twitter.com/4OBJGAZ82E

— Democratic Alliance (@Our_DA) June 26, 2024

Some general rules for the Proteas semi final that you should know:

– In case of rain, 10 overs in the 2nd innings will constitute a match (not 5)
– There is a reserve day should it be required
– Should both days be rained out, the Proteas will progress having topped their group pic.twitter.com/H981tgpYxK

— Werner (@Werries_) June 26, 2024

Proteas fans thinking about the semi final against Afghanistan coming up pic.twitter.com/XVYY8nEAol

— Werner (@Werries_) June 26, 2024

Proteas. Standard procedure please. Let the first world cup we win be a perfect campaign. 9 wins out of 9 please.

— Aviwe (@CFCJerry07) June 26, 2024

I’m so amped for tonight’s/morning Proteas game against Afghanistan. Surely we marching on to the final.

— Thando ™️ (@tidoo) June 26, 2024

The Proteas are making history tomorrow morning 🇿🇦

— Madlokovu (@Sinathi_m) June 26, 2024

 

CHAMPIONS! Nothing to see here. Nothing happening. Have a nice day. ❤️🇿🇦🙏🏼 #T20WorldCup #SAvAFG pic.twitter.com/GsFnYfzWn4

— Rory Petzer (@RoryPetzer) June 26, 2024