Afghanistan were bowled out for 56 runs in 11.5 overs against South Africa in the first semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The Proteas completed the chase in 8.5 overs after losing just 1 wicket. The pitch at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba in Trinidad, had a spongy bounce, making batting difficult for the batters. Afghanistan, who thumped teams like New Zealand and Australia, couldn’t deal with the demons in the track, and only one of their batters reached a double digit score in the mega-match. There was no contest between the bat and ball, and the bowlers had the last laugh, with Marcos Jansen and Tabraiz Shamsi taking three wickets each.
Former India players Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sanjay Manjrekar criticized the ICC for preparing an unfit pitch for the big game. They even highlighted how the governing body took advantage of the broadcasting channel, which paid a hefty amount for the rights.
“This pitch was worse than the one we saw in New York. You at least saw teams going past the 100-run mark over there, but the team batting first was dismissed for 56 here. This pitch was unfit for a game. You want to see a memorable semi-final, but it didn’t happen in the first knock-out. The batters had no chance in front of the bowlers as the pitch was not up to the mark,” Navjot Singh Sidhu said.
Manjrekar agreed with the former cricketer. “Sidhu is right. It was a nightmare for the batters, and Afghanistan paid a heavy price. You can’t prepare an unfit pitch for the semi-final. What about the broadcasters? They are the ones who are taking massive risks by investing a big amount in TV rights. Players will come and play, but the broadcasting channel makes the real deal. ICC has taken them for a ride. They will lose money as there was no contest in the semi-final,” Sanjay Manjrekar said.
Meanwhile, the second semi-final will be played between India and England on June 27.
