(Reuters) – Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup with a dramatic eight-run victory over Bangladesh under the Duckworth Lewis System in St Vincent yesterday, joining India as the qualifiers from Group 1 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 in Trinidad tomorrow.
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 earlier in St Lucia to leave the qualification hopes of the 2021 champions hanging by a thread, will take on title holders England in the second semi-final in Guyana on Thursday.