SA vs AFG Ball by Ball Commentary

FOUR! DONE AND DUSTED! SOUTH AFRICA IS HEADING TO BARBADOS FOR THEIR FIRST-EVER T20 WORLD CUP FINAL! This is bowled full in length, and angles on the off stump, Reeza Hendricks presents the full flourish of the willow and drives it downtown past mid off for a boundary to seal the deal. South Africa maintains their unbeaten merry way in this tournament winning the first semifinal by 9 wickets. Happy emotional faces all around the South African camp. And it was just not meant to be for Afghanistan.

SIX! Just beyond the ropes and the scores are level now! Azmatullah Omarzai bangs it short and it rises up with the bounce on the bodyline, Reeza Hendricks bends a bit and manages to pull it all the way over deep square leg for a six. Also, that brings up the 50-run partnership between these two batters.

Full in length, and on the fourth stump line, Aiden Markram takes the front foot out and goes for an expansive drive through covers but inside edges it to square leg for a single. Oh, wait! Azmatullah Omarzai has overstepped here and the umpire calls a No Ball. Free-Hit to follow now.

Wild swing and a miss there! Short and jagging back in sharply, Aiden Markram goes for a pull shot but the ball pings his body.

FOUR! In a hurry now! Gloriousness written all over it! Offers more width on the back of a length, Aiden Markram hits it on the rise and gets it over mid off for a boundary.

On the back of a length, outside off, Reeza Hendricks caresses it on the up through the cover-point gap for a single.

Bowls it full in length and outside off, Aiden Markram drives it nicely but finds backward point. South Africa need only 14 runs to win now and they have all the time in the world to do so.

FOUR! Pulled away powerfully! Short in length, and on the top of the off and middle, Aiden Markram stands tall, rides on the bounce and pulls it using his wrists over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Almost a half-tracker on the off stump, Reeza Hendricks punches it through covers for a single.

Hard length and outside off, Reeza Hendricks pushes it to covers off the bottom half of the bat.

The last thing Afghanistan would want is sloppiness in the field! Back of a length, nipping away from outside off, Reeza Hendricks slices it off the outer half of the bat towards deep third where Karim Janat fumbles to pick it cleanly and allows the batters to cross for the double.

Gulbadin Naib comes into the attack and hurls it outside off at just 119 kph, Aiden Markram waits for the ball to arrive, and goes back and across before slashing it through covers for a single.

Now this one takes off! Hard length, and outside off, it climbs on the bounce. Reeza Hendricks camps back and punches it straight to covers.

Well bowled! In the channel of uncertainty around off, stays low once again. Reeza Hendricks gets beaten on the outside edge as he plays inside the line of the ball.

Outside off, on a length with a variable bounce that keeps viciously low. Reeza Hendricks anticipates the ball to bounce but adjusts his shot hopping back and blocking it out.

Angles it on the pads, on a length, Aiden Markram whips it and beats Noor Ahmad at mid on for a single.

On the top of off, on the back of a length, Aiden Markram climbs on the bounce and plays it to mid on with a horizontal bat.

Stays low on the bounce on the middle and leg, Aiden Markram hops and jams his bat down in time to block it out back to the bowler.

FOUR! Hendricks says, Thank You! Rashid Khan serves a juicy half-volley around off, Reeza Hendricks plants his front foot ahead and clears the 30-yard circle going inside out over covers for a cracking boundary. End of the mandatory Powerplay and South Africa are 34/1.

A wrong'un that keeps very low after pitching around off. It turns sharply back into the batter and Reeza Hendricks can only block it out off the back foot.

Bowls it slow this time, on the stumps and full in length, Reeza Hendricks takes a huge stride out and defends it back to the bowler with a straight bat.

Pushes it quicker and flatter on a fuller length, on the leg stump line, Aiden Markram goes for a hoick across the line but gets a thick inside edge that rolls towards deep fine for a single.

On a length, and on the middle, Reeza Hendricks works it off the back foot to widish long on for a single.

Pitches it right in front of the stumps, on a fuller length, Reeza Hendricks goes deep inside the crease and tucks it in front of deep mid-wicket and quickly runs two.

Touch fuller, on middle, Reeza Hendricks pats it towards mid on for a quick single. 13 runs off the over then!

Uppish but safe! Back of a length and on off, takes off again, Aiden Markram gets surprised by it and hangs his bat away, the ball goes off the splice and clears covers, Rashid Khan chases it down and saves one there as the batters run three.

Naveen-ul-Haq goes for the bouncer but this one goes above the batter, Aiden Markram leaves it alone. Wided.

FOUR! Nothing streaky about this one! Naveen-ul-Haq bowls this on a good length and just outside off, Aiden Markram takes a half-stride out, opens the face of his bat, and drives it on the up with perfect timing as the ball zips past covers like a tracer-bullet for another boundary.

FOUR! Streaky and these will hurt Afghanistan a lot! Hard length and around off, nips back in sharply and with extra bounce, Aiden Markram tries to play at it but gets an inside edge as the ball rolls away to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Length again and on off, Aiden Markram tries to drive but the ball keeps low and takes the toe-end of his bat to roll towards mid off.

On a length and on middle, Aiden Markram stays back and blocks it out well.

FOUR! Good shot! Fazalhaq Farooqi takes pace off again and serves this full, outside off, Reeza Hendricks waits for it this time and drills it through cover-point for a boundary.

Goes for the loopy yorker, but bowls a full toss, on off, Reeza Hendricks gets deceived by the lack of pace and only manages to push it to covers.

Another full delivery, on middle, Reeza Hendricks knocks it with a straight bat wide of mid on for a brace.

Overpitched and on off, Reeza Hendricks connects with his drive nicely this time but hits it straight to mid off.

Full again but a bit too outside off this time, Reeza Hendricks leaves it alone. Wided.

Full and outside off, Reeza Hendricks tries to reach for it but gets an inside edge just past the stumps to short fine.

On a length and on off, Reeza Hendricks steers it towards point.

Hurls it on a length, slightly around off, Aiden Markram takes his front foot ahead and drives it to mid off from the inner half of the bat. A very quiet over from Naveen-ul-Haq. Three overs done it's 6/1.

Take that! Naveen-ul-Haq bangs this one hard on the pitch, on off, this one takes off lethally, Aiden Markram just about manages to sway away from it.

BEATEN! Pulls his length back a bit around off, angles in, and then straightens after hitting the deck, Aiden Markram goes for the drive on the up but misses as Rahmanullah Gurbaz collects it behind the stumps. Rashid Khan thinks that there is an edge but he gets no support from the others. Oh...wow! The spin maestro was right here as UltraEdge shows a spike when the ball passes the bat. Afghanistan misses out there! South Africa could've been 6/2 had they gone upstairs for this one. Distraught faces in the Afghan camp, and rightly so!

Full again and on middle, shaping in, Aiden Markram blocks it out this time.

Goes fuller and on off, Aiden Markram pushes it towards covers.

Just short! Naveen-ul-Haq goes back of a length and outside off, Reeza Hendricks slashes at it but gets a thick outside edge towards deep third, Azmatullah Omarzai runs forward but the ball just lands in front of him. They cross.

Short of a length and on middle, Aiden Markram stays back and blocks it out.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Fazalhaq Farooqi strikes the first blow! This is exactly what Afghanistan wanted here. This one is pitched up and on middle, shaping in nicely, Quinton de Kock skips down the track to slog it across the line but plays all over it as the ball goes through to shatter the stumps. Good set up by Farooqi and QDK falls cheaply here.

Fazalhaq Farooqi goes fuller now just around off, gets it to nip away again, Quinton de Kock strides out to push it away but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Hard length and outside off again, not much movement this time but QDK decides to let it go again.

Back of a length and around off, shaping away this time, Quinton de Kock leaves it alone.

FOUR! Nicely played! Fazalhaq Farooqi in search of some swing begins with a full delivery but bowls it too straight, and shapes it in, Quinton de Kock picks it up off his pads and flicks it beautifully through mid-wicket for the first boundary of the chase.

On a length and on off, shaping in sharply again, Reeza Hendricks looks to defend but misses and gets hit high on the pads. Just one run off the first over then!

A fine in-swinging yorker now, on off, Reeza Hendricks digs it out to the off side.

Absolute peach! Naveen-ul-Haq comes around the wicket and bowls this on a hard length, gets it to nip away sharply, Reeza Hendricks prods forward but gets nowhere near the ball as it zips past to the keeper.

Quinton de Kock and South Africa are underway now! This is pitched up, on middle, shaping in, Quinton de Kock works it off the inner half of the bat through mid-wicket for a single.

Ouch! Naveen-ul-Haq hits the hard length this time, on off, nips back in sharply with some bounce, Quinton de Kock uses his feet to play but gets cramped up and the ball hits him around his chest. That will sting a bit.

Oh that one keeps really low! Naveen-ul-Haq starts over the wicket, lands this on a good length and around off, this one does not bounce at all, Quinton de Kock leaves it alone.