Afghanistan’s fairytale journey in the 2024 T20 World Cup came to a sudden and devastating end at Tarouba on Thursday. A fired-up South African bowling attack dismissed them for a mere 56 runs in challenging conditions.
Marco Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi were the main architects of this collapse, each taking three wickets, while Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje shared the remaining four scalps equally. Despite the heavy defeat, the Afghan team’s spirit remained unbroken, as epitomized by a defiant Rashid Khan in the face of a fierce Anrich Nortje.
In the seventh over, with adrenaline pumping and determination etched on his face, Nortje charged in and took just three deliveries to claim the wicket of Azmatullah Omarzai. The Afghan captain walked in next and was immediately tested by a perfect delivery that narrowly missed the stumps and carried through to the keeper.
Energized by the near miss, Nortje followed up with a vicious bouncer that sailed just over the batter’s head, prompting the umpires to call it wide. Rashid Khan, undeterred, responded with some words for Nortje, who dismissively waved him off and returned to his mark.
Nortje, however, had more firepower in store. He cranked up his speed to nearly 150 km/h, delivering a length ball that Rashid just managed to fend off. The tension escalated, leading to a heated exchange between the two before the umpires intervened to defuse the situation.
— Johnson (@Johnson427427) June 27, 2024
Ultimately, Nortje had the last laugh when he bowled Rashid out in his next over, sending the stumps flying and providing a thrilling moment that lit up social media.
