Afghan captain Rashid Khan: We deserve to be in T20 World Cup semis

AFGHANISTAN captain Rashid Khan was almost at a loss for words after his team progressed to the semifinals of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty/20 World Cup with an "unbelievable" eight-run win over Bangladesh via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method at the Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent early on June 25.

It was a do-or-die game for both teams and there was added intrigue as their Super Eight, Group I counterparts Australia were still in contention for a semis spot before a ball was bowled. Afghanistan made 115 for five in tough batting conditions, before bowling out Bangladesh for 105 in a game which had several rain stoppages and saw the "Bengal Tigers" set a revised target of 114 for victory in 19 overs.

"It's a big achievement for us being in the semifinals. I think the cricket we have played in the tournament so far, we deserve to be in the semis," Rashid said at the post-game presentation.

"The semifinal is going to be a massive inspiration for the youngsters back home in Afghanistan...the belief came when we beat New Zealand (in the group stage). It's unbelievable."

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the top-scorer in the tourney, led the way for Afghanistan with 43 off 55 balls, and Rashid chipped in at the end with a handy cameo of 19 not out from ten balls – drilling pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib for a six off the last ball of the innings.

Rashid said his team was 15-20 runs short of their desired target, but after defending a total of 148 against 2021 champions Australia at the Arnos Vale venue two nights prior, he backed his bowlers to guide the country to their first-ever semifinal appearance at the T20 World Cup.

Bangladesh played their role in the riveting match, as a victory inside 12.1 overs would have seen them passing both Afghanistan and the Aussies to book an unlikely spot in the semis. Their gung-ho approach played into the Afghan's hands, though, and Bangladesh slipped to 80 for seven by the end of the 11th over, with Rashid returning figures of four for 23 as he went past 150 T20 international wickets.

"We knew they would come hard at us to chase it in 12 overs to get to the semifinals," Rashid said. "We knew that is where we could have taken advantage. If we bowled into the stumps, we could get them out."

With Bangladesh's own hopes of advancing to the semis swiftly fading away, opening batsman Liton Das (54 not out off 49 balls) seemed to be the only person capable of taking the game away from Afghanistan to leave the door open for the Aussies' semifinal quest.

Gulbadin Naib (one for five), the hero with the ball in Afghanistan's win over Australia, got the wicket of Tanzim in the 15th over as Bangladesh slipped to 92 for eight – still 22 runs shy of the revised target.

By the end of the 17th over, Bangladesh pushed their score to 102 for eight – leaving them needing 12 runs off the last two overs to knock their Asian rivals out of the tourney.

Wily right-arm seamer Naveen-ul-Haq (four for 26), who got the big scalps of Shakib Al Hasan (duck) and opposing skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto (five) in the power play, was entrusted with the penultimate over. Naveen, who has Caribbean Premier League experience with Guyana Amazon Warriors, delivered two more critical blows when he clean-bowled Taskin Ahmed (two) before trapping new batsman Mustafizur Rahman lbw with the very next delivery to clinch victory.

Even as the beleaguered Mustafizur called for a review, the Afghan dugout was emptied as players and technical staff – including bowling consultant Dwayne Bravo – stormed the field to celebrate the feat of a cricketing nation which has risen from the obscurity of associate cricket to the bright lights and expectations of World Cup knockout cricket.

The Afghans (four points) finished the group in second position behind the unbeaten India (six points), with the Aussies and Bangladesh sent packing.

Rashid said Windies batting legend and world record-holder Brian Lara was the only person to give Afghanistan a chance of reaching the semis before the tourney. Now, fittingly, they will tackle the unbeaten South Africa from 8.30 pm on June 26 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, with a spot in the T20 World Cup final on the line.

"I believe we have proved one person very right and that's Brian Lara. He's the only person who mentioned Afghanistan to be in the top four," Rashid said.

"When you get those kinds of great statements from a legend, as a team, I think it gives you a lot of energy as well. I told Lara 'we won't let you down.'"