Rashid Khan: We would like to bat first,

Afghanistan have won the toss and have opted to bat

The four matches held at the Brian Lara Stadium in the tournament so far have been low-scoring ones. There’s appreciable swing and seam movement for pacers. Spinners have also got the ball to grip and turn. A fresh surface will be used today. The batters will definitely be tested and need to show application and grit. Can Afghanistan keep their euphoria intact? Or will South Africa break the jinx and reach the final of a World Cup for the first time in their history? Stick around for the toss and team lineups...

Strengths and weaknesses of South Africa? Their bowling unit has performed collectively. Nortje and Rabada have stepped up on different occasions. Maharaj has been at his probing self while Shamsi has already bagged two player of the match awards out of three matches he has played in. De Kock has played some breezy knocks and is in the list of top 10 run-getters of the tournament. Their bowlers have outshone their batters. Their batting has looked shaky and they need to bat with more conviction.

Strengths and weaknesses of Afghanistan? The pair of Gurbaz and Ibrahim has been prolific at the top. They have strung together four 50-plus stands. Gurbaz is the highest run-scorer while Ibrahim is the third highest run-scorer in the tournament. Farooqi is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament while Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-haq also feature in the top five wicket-taker’s list. Rashid has come onto his own and is once again weaving his magic. Naveen-ul-haq taking the new ball has added a different dimension to their attack and he has been a revelation. The only blemish is that their middle-order has had less game time and has looked scratchy.

South Africa are on a 7-match winning streak in the 2024 T20 World Cup. But, their journey hasn’t been as easy as it seems! Barring their opening game against Sri Lanka which they won quite convincingly, the other opponents have given them a run for their money. Nepal came agonisingly close to topple them and that should tell you the story! The Proteas have stuttered and stumbled but have found ways to come out on top. That is necessarily not a bad thing as they have got used to soaking pressure in. Considering South Africa’s shambolic history in knockout games, the experience of having played nervy contests might just turn the tide in their favour this time around.

Once Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh in a nail-biting contest a couple of nights back, the streets of Kabul to Kandahar overflowed with people brimming with joy! Rashid Khan mentioned in an interview post-match, “It would bring immense hope to people back home.” A country that has been plagued by different issues once again stands together in unison. That’s enough motivation for a team to continue to do wonderful things in the mega event. Their tight win against New Zealand in the group stage was a confidence-booster. Though they suffered big losses against West Indies and India, they didn’t lose self-belief! After that, the win against Australia in the Super 8s truly revealed their calibre.

There are only a few things in life which can match or surpass the satisfaction and elation a sport can bring. Years of hard work, persistence, courage and sacrifice is required to earn the privilege to represent your nation. Those who make it to the national team, their topmost priority is to bring laurels to their nation. Two teams in Afghanistan and South Africa have the opportunity to get one step closer to glory and rewrite history tonight! South Africa have yearned to lift an ICC trophy since ages. Meanwhile, Afghanistan are already on cloud nine having made it to their first semi-final of an ICC event.

Preview by Telford Vice

One word. Four syllables. Starts with A. It's the name of your opponents in the 2024 men's T20 World Cup semifinals. Had those clues been given to South Africa's players before the tournament, their answer would in all likelihood have been that other team whose name starts with an A.

You know - those guys who have limped home among the 16 also-rans who tried and failed to reach the knockout rounds. That's right: Australia. Instead, Afghanistan will be South Africa's opponents in Trinidad on Thursday and they will be taken just as seriously as any bunch of Aussies. That's what beating New Zealand, Australia and Bangladesh in the space of 18 days gets you: respect.

Along the way the Afghans were thumped by West Indies and India, while South Africa have won all seven of their matches. But Afghanistan are surfing the World Cup wave so impressively - and that as a side from a landlocked country, no less - and South Africa's history in knockout games - played nine, won one - is so skewed that it would not be outlandish to make Rashid Khan's A-team favourites.

Indeed, in Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran they have two of the top five runscorers in the tournament, while Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rashid and Naveen-ul-Haq are among the leading five wicket-takers. South Africa's top batter, Quinton de Kock, is sixth on the list and their most successful bowler, Anrich Nortje, is joint eighth.

The difference between these South Africans and those who have been to the semifinal rodeo before is that they wouldn't struggle to agree with the assertion that Afghanistan go into the match holding the upper hand. Because Aiden Markram's charges are also riding a wave. Its one-word name also has four syllables but starts with R. As in reality.

Here's a flavour, courtesy of Rob Walter when he was asked during a press conference on Monday if he felt sorry for batters considering the conditions they have had to put up with for much of the tournament: "The world of professional sports doesn't allow for much sympathy, but it does allow for understanding."

Afghanistan, too, are living in the real world. That was clear from Rashid Khan's answer to the question of when he thought the victory over Bangladesh in St Vincent in the wee hours of Tuesday morning had been secured: "The only time I believed we had won the game was when we took the last wicket."

Out there in the really real world, many will hope for a sign or at least an acknowledgement from the Afghans that they represent the women and girls of their country - who are barred by the repressive Taliban regime from so much that is available to men, including playing cricket. Until 1994, South Africa's teams also flew the flag of a society ruled by unfairness and fear.

The issue then was apartheid. Now it is gender apartheid. Then as now, cricket - and cricketers - cannot be allowed to look the other way.

When: Afghanistan vs South Africa, June 26, 8.30 PM Local, 6 AM IST (June 27), 2.30 AM (June 27)

Where: Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad

What to expect: A cool, clear evening. And low scores. Papua New Guinea were bowled out for 95 - by the Afghans - and 78 at this ground, where West Indies' 149/9 was enough to beat New Zealand by 13 runs.

Head to head in T20 World Cups: Afghanistan 0-2 South Africa

Team Watch:

Afghanistan

This isn't a cricket team. It's a movement, and its time is now.

Tactics & Matchups: In Rashid Khan, closer to a one-man XI than an allrounder and captain, Afghanistan trust.

Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Nangeyalia Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

South Africa

So far so shaky, and so unbeaten. They have sailed close to defeat in almost every game, and won them all.

Tactics & Matchups: It's a seamer's pitch, but Tabraiz Shamsi could be counted on to bamboozle batters.

Probable XI: Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi

Did you know?

- Of the 51 wickets taken by bowlers at this ground during the tournament 41 - 80.39% - have fallen to seam bowlers.

- Of the 67 individual innings begun at Tarouba during the tournament only one has reached 50. Gulbadin Naib was 49 not out when Afghanistan clinched victory over Papua New Guinea.

- Thirteen of those 67 innings have resulted in ducks: a quacking 19.40%.

What they said:

"I think we deserve to be in the semis." - Rashid Khan feels the same way as everyone else who has watched his team in the tournament.

"You don't not have confidence if you manage to win games the way that we have. And then there's certain parts of the game that we know we need to brush up and tighten up on. We're working through that continuum the whole time and being real about the things that we need to do better, being real about where we are in certain aspects of our game, and celebrating the stuff that we've been getting right." - Rob Walter on the new South Africa.

Squads:

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

Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan(c), Nangeyalia Kharote, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Najibullah Zadran, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Ishaq