South Africa was in motion towards Afghanistan in the course of the T20 World Cup. Photograph: AFP/File
NEW DELHI:
South Africa certified for the T20 World Cup Tremendous Eights on Monday with out enjoying as Afghanistan’s win over the United Arab Emirates was sufficient to ship them by means of from Group D.
Azmatullah Omarzai was the hero for Afghanistan, taking 4-15 within the UAE’s 160-9 and scoring an unbeaten 40 to steer his aspect to a five-wicket win after a tense chase in New Delhi.
Afghanistan completed on 162-5 with 4 balls to spare to maintain alive their slim possibilities of shifting into the following stage.
South Africa, semi-finalists in 2024, turned the third group after the West Indies and co-hosts India to safe a Tremendous Eights berth.
Afghanistan will want a giant win of their final group match towards Canada on Thursday and different outcomes to go their manner if they’re to edge out New Zealand from second place in Group C.
“Subsequent sport, you by no means know, it is a T20 sport, we’ll should provide you with a superb model of cricket, no matter the possibilities of making it to the Tremendous Eights,” mentioned Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan.
“We need to make the nation and our individuals proud and glad.”
New Zealand, with 4 factors forward of their last group match towards bottom-placed Canada on Tuesday, look primed to assert the second Tremendous Eight spot from Group D.
Sohaib Khan top-scored for UAE with 68 and placed on a stand of 84 for the third wicket with Alishan Sharafu, who made 40.
Medium-pace bowler Muhammad Arfan dismissed Ibrahim Zadran within the 14th over to tilt the scales in UAE’s favour at 97-4, however Darwish Rasooli and Omarzai put the chase again on observe with a fifth-wicket partnership of 43.
Rasooli departed for 33 within the 18th over however Omarzai stored calm and hit the successful 4 to provide Afghanistan their first win of the event.
Earlier, TV umpire Paul Reiffel discovered himself within the thick of motion within the first 4 overs after Rashid received the toss and elected to discipline at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
UAE opener Aryansh Sharma edged the primary ball from Omarzai but it surely was unclear if wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz had taken a clear catch. Reiffel went by means of umpteen replays earlier than giving the good thing about the doubt to the batter.
Three balls later, Reiffel was tasked with the same job and this time the official determined that Aryansh was certainly out, caught behind for a duck.
Off-spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman trapped UAE captain Muhammad Waseem lbw for 10, a call which Reiffel upheld after the batter reviewed it.
Within the fourth over, Sohaib was initially given lbw to Mujeeb however he survived after replays confirmed the ball would have narrowly missed the leg stump.
The reprieve allowed Sohaib to mix with Alishan Sharafu (40) in an 84-run stand to regular the UAE innings.
Omarzai ended Sohaib’s advantageous knock, which included 4 sixes and 6 fours.
Afghanistan misplaced their in-form opener Gurbaz within the first over however first Ibrahim Zadran (53) after which Darwish Rasooli (33) stored them within the hunt.
Omarzai lastly sealed Afghanistan’s win with a 4 off Junaid Siddique.
