After a dramatic end to the Super Eight stage, with Afghanistan winning a thriller against Bangladesh in St Vincent to knock out Australia, the four semi-finalists of the T20 World Cup 2024 have been confirmed: Group 2 toppers South Africa will take on Afghanistan in the first semi-final, while Group 1 leaders India will face England in the second semi-final.
The first semi-final between South Africa and Afghanistan will start at 8.30pm local time on Wednesday, June 26, at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba. The second semi-final between India and England will be at 10.30am Thursday morning, June 27 (local time) at Guyana’s Providence Stadium.
India had been allotted the second semi-final in Guyana well before the tournament started, irrespective of their Super Eight finish. That match will start at 8pm India time on June 27.
The playing conditions for the two semi-finals, though, are different. The second semi-final, featuring India and England, will not have a reserve day because of a single day’s gap between that match and the final.
However, a total of 250 minutes of additional time is available for each semi-final. The first semi-final will have an extra 60 minutes at the end of the day’s play and a further 190 minutes on the reserve day, starting from 2pm local time. The second semi-final will have the entire 250 minutes available on the scheduled day since it doesn’t have a reserve day.
Additionally, for a game to be constituted as complete in the semi-finals and final, both teams should bat a minimum of 10 overs per innings, as opposed to five overs per innings in the rest of the tournament. This could be significant as rain has been forecast at both venues, and the playing conditions state that in case of a washout, the team that finishes higher in their respective Super Eight groups (India and South Africa, in this case) will proceed. In case the final is abandoned because of poor weather, the two finalists will be declared joint winners.
“I’ve never seen that ever. In any level of cricket.”
Ian Smith has developed such a reputation for being on the mic during cricket’s most incredible moments, he should probably publish his commentary schedule so traveling fans can also find themselves witnessing unforgettable sporting history. His is one of those rare voices that reaches into the ether and gathers such perfect descriptions of high cricketing drama that those moments themselves later feel incomplete without. What is England’s 2019 boundary-countback World Cup victory minus Smith’s “by the barest of margins” ringing in your ears?
Even he’s at a bit of a loss here, though. But then he’s commentating on Afghanistan. And there’s never been a cricket team like this.
Right now, we are 19.3 overs into Afghanistan’s innings, and things are going poorly for them against Bangladesh. Rashid Khan had banged a six over backward point previous ball, but still, they are only at 107 for 5 with four balls left. There is history waiting to be grabbed. It doesn’t feel like Afghanistan will quite reach it.
On ball 19.3, Rashid tried to snake-hit a six over the legside, but had only managed a leading edge that went deep into the offside instead. He had turned for a second and come sprinting back to keep the strike. But his partner, Karim Janat, sent him back.
So right now, he is mid-pitch, and furious. The ball is only now being gathered, and there are only three deliveries left, and Rashid wants this extra run, and he also wants the strike as he has just smashed a six, and wow why the hell would you turn down this run?
