'It is just the beginning' for Rashid Khan as Afghanistan's amazing T20 World Cup run ends

Afghans are overpowered by ruthless South Africa in semi-final in Trinidad

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and teammates after losing to South Africa in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Trinidad. Reuters

When the end came it was quick. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the tournament’s leading run scorer, out third ball. The rest followed in a procession. All out for 56, their record lowest total.

South Africa, chasing a worthy goal of their own, knocked it off with few alarms, needing less than nine overs to get the job done.

And that was it. Afghanistan’s fairy tale was over. Only Rashid Khan begged to differ. Instead, the captain claimed, it is the start.

“Before the tournament if we were told we would be in the semi-final playing against one of the best teams in the world, we would have accepted that,” he said.

“Overall, we are quite happy with the way we managed ourselves in pressure situations. We have had tough situations and the guys responded quite well. For me that was pleasing.

“And beating big teams in this competition was something that was very special for us. It is just the beginning for us.

“We have the confidence and belief that we can beat any team on our day, as long as we keep the process simple and believe in ourselves. We are capable of beating any side.”

It is not the very start, of course. It is difficult to place the exact genesis of the story of Afghanistan cricket.

South Africa's Reeza Hendricks, left, embraces captain Aiden Markram after defeating Afghanistan in their T20 World Cup semi-final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. AP

South Africa's David Miller with former pacer Dale Steyn after victory in their T20 World Cup semi-final. Reuters

Afghanistan after their comprehensive nine-wicket defeat against South Africa in Trinidad. Reuters

South Africa's Anrich Nortje after taking the wicket of Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan in Tarouba. AFP

Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi picked up three wickets to help dismiss Afghanistan for just 56. Getty Images

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan is bowled by South Africa's Anrich Nortje. Reuters

South Africa's Kagiso Rabada, left, celebrates after the dismissal of Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran. AFP

South Africa's Marco Jansen, left, decimated Afghanistan's top order. AP

One starting point might have been in December 2001, when scores of refugees who had been living their lives in exile in Pakistan started their journey home.

An alliance of US army soldiers, special forces and Afghan militia forced the dispersal of Taliban fighters. Meanwhile, Taj Malik Khan was on the road to Jalalabad from Kacha Gari refugee camp, with one change of clothes, a cricket bat and ball.

He was also carrying with him the dream of setting up the first Afghanistan national cricket team. Within 18 months, he was holding trials in Kabul which discovered Mohammed Nabi, and became the first coach of the side himself.

All that feels like ancient history now given the incredible advance of cricket in Afghanistan. The team that made it to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in the United States and Caribbean is packed full of Indian Premier League stars, Nabi among them.

They have taken wins off all the world’s best teams, including England last year in the ODI World Cup, and Australia in this T20 one.

Yes, they took a knock in the first knockout game they have played, dumped out by South Africa. But it is to their credit that the defeat spoke less of them being overawed by the occasion as all the other factors that were against them.

They had undergone a taxing transit to Trinidad from Jamaica after their epic win over Bangladesh in their final Super Eight match.

“We only got back to hotel at 3am, and then we had to leave at 8am,” Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan’s coach, said.

“We didn't get much sleep, so the guys were obviously very tired and had a lot to process really emotionally and physically.

“It is all new territory for the guys and it all plays its part in a way, but we were outplayed today.”

Which is also forgivable. Facing an attack comprising Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and the outstanding Marco Jansen, on a track that was scarcely fit for purpose, let alone a World Cup semi-final, would have been tough going for anyone.

But the manner of their progress to this stage meant they felt destiny was still going to favour them.

“It is tough to take,” Rashid said. “We might have done a little bit better than that but the conditions didn’t allow us to do what we wanted to.

“That is what T20 is all about. You need to be mentally ready for any kind of conditions and situations but the way they bowled was exceptional and we just couldn’t bat well.”

The extreme conditions showed up Afghanistan’s one obvious deficiency. For all the brilliance of their pace attack, the spin bowling, and their top-order batting, they are on the scout out for a reliable middle order.

“Whenever you lose a game like this, it’s always going to hurt,” Trott said.

“And it should hurt because we put so much into it. The sacrifices made by the players, coaching staff, management, officials all that sort of stuff. It hurts at the moment.

“We arrived at the ground in high spirits ready to take on a strong South African side and make sure we gave a good account of ourselves, and I feel like we haven’t done that.

“That’s the most disappointing thing. I’m very proud of the guys. This one performance doesn't necessarily define the tournament.

“But it also gives us an indication of where we need to work on and what we need to get better at.

“If we’re going to be competitive more consistently, [we need to work out] who we can rely on with the bat and who's going to get us over the line, certainly if we have to chase.”