The Afghan cricket team, under the leadership of Rashid Khan, is set to make history as they play their first World Cup semifinal on June 27, 2024. The match against South Africa will be held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago. This encounter is particularly noteworthy as Afghanistan has never managed to defeat South Africa in their previous four matches—two ODIs and two T20Is. South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, enters the semifinal with an unbeaten record in the tournament, aiming for their first World Cup title.

Weather updates

The weather forecast for the match indicates a possible morning thunderstorm in some areas, followed by variable cloudiness throughout the day. Light rain might affect the game, but heavy downpours are unlikely to cause a complete washout. Dew is expected to be a significant factor, especially in the latter stages of the match.

Injury updates

Afghanistan’s opener, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is also the highest run-scorer in the tournament, suffered a knee injury during the match against Bangladesh and had to leave the field immediately. His participation in the semifinal is uncertain, causing concern for Afghanistan as their middle order has struggled to deliver consistently.

What If the match gets washed out?

In case rain disrupts the semifinal, the ICC has allocated a reserve day for the 1st semi-final to ensure a result. However, there is no extra day allocated for the second semifinal, making the reserve day crucial for determining the finalist.

Streaming and broadcast details

• Match Date: Thursday, June 27, 2024 (IST)
• Match Time: 6:00 AM IST
• Toss Time: 5:30 AM IST
• Venue: Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago
• TV Broadcast in India: Star Sports Network
• Online Streaming in India: Disney+ Hotstar app and website

Sixteen years ago, Afghanistan were competing in Division 5 of the ICC World Cricket League against teams like Japan, Singapore, and Botswana. Today, they stand on the brink of their first World Cup final, having surpassed cricketing giants such as Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the West Indies.

See Also: Taliban Foreign Minister video calls Rashid Khan, extends congratulations on Afghanistan’s T20 WC Semi-Final achievement – Cricket Winner

As they face South Africa, a team burdened with a history of World Cup disappointments, either Afghanistan or South Africa will make history by reaching their first men’s World Cup final in any format since New Zealand in 2015.