Afghanistan achieved a historic milestone in cricket, qualifying for the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time by defeating Bangladesh in a tense, low-scoring match in St Vincent.
The victory secured Afghanistan’s place as runners-up in Super 8s Group 1, eliminating Bangladesh and heavyweights Australia from the tournament. Afghanistan will face South Africa in Trinidad on Thursday (01:30 BST), with a chance to reach the final against either England or India on Saturday.
In a must-win game, Afghanistan struggled with the bat, posting 115-5. A rain-interrupted chase followed, with both teams and Australia having opportunities to advance at different stages.
Ultimately, Afghanistan emerged victorious with captain Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq claiming four wickets each in a thrilling finish. Bangladesh, also vying for their first World Cup semi-final appearance, fell short despite opener Litton Das’s unbeaten 54.
Bangladesh needed a significant win to qualify on net run-rate (NRR) but fell short, losing key wickets early in their chase. Despite their efforts, Afghanistan’s bowlers sealed the win, sparking jubilant celebrations with consecutive wickets at the end of the match.
