The Afghanistan cricket team continues to dazzle in the T20 World Cup 2024, securing a thrilling victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday to clinch their spot in the semi-finals. This marks the first time Afghanistan has advanced to the semi-finals of any International Cricket Council (ICC) event. Under the leadership of Rashid Khan, the team has impressed with notable wins, including a group stage triumph over New Zealand and a sensational victory against Australia in the Super 8. Their latest win not only secured their semi-final berth but also led to Australia’s elimination from the tournament.
Following the victory, Rashid Khan received a congratulatory call from Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. In a video shared by the Afghanistan Cricket Board on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Muttaqi praised Rashid and the team for their outstanding performance, starting the conversation with “Mubarak” and offering special commendations.
Afghanistan is set to face South Africa in the first semi-final on Thursday. Reflecting on the achievement, Rashid Khan expressed his excitement and pride:
“It’s something like a dream for us as a team being in the semifinal. It’s all about the way we have started the tournament. The belief came while we beat New Zealand. It’s unbelievable. I don’t have any words to describe my feelings. Back home, everyone is so happy for this big achievement.”
Rashid credited their success to maintaining a positive mindset and sticking to their game plan:
“The only guy who put us in the semifinal was Brian Lara and we proved that right. Before the competition at the welcome party, I told him, ‘We won’t let you down. We’ll make it through and prove you’re right.’ I am proud of this team. We thought 130-135 was a good total on this wicket. We were 15-20 runs short. It was all about the mindset. We knew they would come hard at us to chase that in 12 overs to get into the semifinal. That’s where we could take advantage. If we bowled into the stumps, we had a better chance to getting them out. We didn’t have to do anything extra. We just had to be clear with our plans. We put in the effort, that’s in our hands.”
Afghanistan’s journey in the T20 World Cup 2024 continues to inspire, showcasing their resilience and determination on the international stage.
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