INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Afghanistan&s skipper Rashid Khan said on Thursday following their ICC T20 World Cup match against South Africa that it had been a tough
game for the team, and that the team slipped in the batting department.Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rashid said: &It was a tough
We might have done a little better than that, but the conditions didn&t allow us to do what we want.&You have to be mentally ready for any
conditions, but the way they bowled was exceptional
We just couldn&t bat well.&However, he paid tribute to his fast bowlers, and said they had really come into their own.&The way they stood up
for us [the fast bowlers] throughout the tournament is why we had success.&The way Naveen and Fazal bowled, that made our job as a spinning
unit easier in the middle.&Overall, we are quite happy with the way we managed ourselves in pressure situations
That was very pleasing.&Beating big teams is very special for us
It is just the beginning for us.&We now have the belief that we can beat any side on the day.&We learned a lot of things, and the next time
the belief will be there, and much better than this.&Afghanistan, who looked like they could do no wrong throughout this tournament, finally
came undone in their semi-final match against South Africa.But it had been a thrilling tournament for the team, who had until now never
reached a semi-final stage in any ICC event.On Thursday, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, Afghanistan was quickly put to
the test by South Africa.In the end, they were scuttled out for 56.Despite the wicket providing the odd surprise, the South African top
order managed to ultimately cruise to the target inside of nine overs to secure them a spot for the first time in the ICC tournament
final.In his post-match discussion, South Africa&s captain Aidan Markram said: &It feels good
It is not really the captain that gets you here & it is a massive squad effort.&Really chuffed for us to have one more crack to lift a
We were fortunate to lose the toss
We also wanted to bat.&The bowlers put the ball in the right areas and made life tough for the Afghanistan batters.&It was quite tough, but
we knew it was a matter of a partnership to take the sting out upfront.&Just one more step [the final]
It is an exciting challenge that we have never had.&There is a lot of belief
We have played really good cricket for a couple of years as a white-ball group.&Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Cricket Board sent out a
heartfelt message to Rashid Khan after the match and said in a post on social media: &Chin up, Skipp! You&ve given us the World this
event!&ESPNcricinfo also wrote an encouraging message on X and said: &Regardless of the result today, it&s been a historic #T20WorldCup
campaign for Afghanistan&Some commentators however questioned the ICC&s schedule stating that playing an important semi-final just 48 hours
after their Super 8 clash against Bangladesh seemed too much for Afghanistan.In addition to this, a four-hour flight delay from St Vincent
meant the team only arrived in Trinidad on the eve of the match & leaving no time for practise or rest.Members of the public, both locally
and abroad, meanwhile took to social media in their droves and congratulated Afghanistan on their overall performance during the T20 World
Cup.Rajat Agarwala from India said: &Embrace the loss Rashid Bhai and feel proud for what you have achieved
The best ever performance by AFG team
Congratulations.&BeingBhaijaan wrote: &Chin up #AfghanAtalan, we are proud of you
Thank you for all that you do to bring happiness to our nation
You guys are amazing.&Another Indian fan said: &Afghanistan is a rising force of cricket, its a learning for you, keep the motivation high,
you will become world champions soon, at least earlier than many other teams.&A Delhi-based journalist, Harish Kumar, summed up
Afghanistan&s success these past few weeks and said in a post on X: &Achieving this position is a remarkable accomplishment, not only
demonstrating exceptional gameplay but also captivating the global audience with exemplary conduct
Regardless of the game&s outcome, you stand as the ultimate victor.& Related Stories: Afghanistan seal dramatic semi-final berth amid
heart-stopping run chaseAfghanistan pulls off stunning upset against Australia in T20 World Cup matchThe post ‘It is just the beginning
for us&, says Rashid Khan after T20 World Cup semi against South Africa first appeared on Ariana News.
