Cricket: Nailbiting victory propels upstarts Afghanistan into T20 World Cup semi-finals ahead of Australia, Bangladesh

Afghanistan have reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup with a dramatic eight-run victory over Bangladesh under the Duckworth Lewis Stern System at St Vincent, joining India as the qualifiers from Group One and sending Australia home.

Bangladesh also had a chance to progress or send Australia through with a victory, but the Afghans dismissed them for 105 to take the win they needed to set up a first World Cup semi-final against South Africa at Trinidad on Wednesday.

Afghanistan hopes were dented, when they were restricted to a modest 115/5, as showers around the ground threatened to change the calculations, but skipper Rashid Khan took 4/23 and Naveen-ul-Haq 4/26 in a defiant bowling effort.

India, who beat Australia by 24 runs at St Lucia to leave the qualification hopes of the 2021 champions hanging by a thread, will take on titleholders England in the second semi-final at Guyana on Thursday. 

Afghanistan 115/5 (Rahmunullah 43, Rashid 19no; Rishad 3/26) Bangladesh 105 (Liton 54no; Rashid 4/23, Naveen-ul-Haq 4/26)

Reuters

More to come

Afghanistan have reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup with a dramatic eight-run victory over Bangladesh under the Duckworth Lewis Stern System at St Vincent, joining India as the qualifiers from Group One and sending Australia home.

Bangladesh also had a chance to progress or send Australia through with a victory, but the Afghans dismissed them for 105 to take the win they needed to set up a first World Cup semi-final against South Africa at Trinidad on Wednesday.

Afghanistan hopes were dented, when they were restricted to a modest 115/5, as showers around the ground threatened to change the calculations, but skipper Rashid Khan took 4/23 and Naveen-ul-Haq 4/26 in a defiant bowling effort.

India, who beat Australia by 24 runs at St Lucia to leave the qualification hopes of the 2021 champions hanging by a thread, will take on titleholders England in the second semi-final at Guyana on Thursday. 

Afghanistan 115/5 (Rahmunullah 43, Rashid 19no; Rishad 3/26) Bangladesh 105 (Liton 54no; Rashid 4/23, Naveen-ul-Haq 4/26)

Reuters

More to come

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