Afghanistan and South Africa are set to face off early Thursday in the first semi-final of this year’s T20 World Cup and whichever team wins will make history, as neither have ever played in an ICC T20 World Cup final.

For Afghanistan, the mere thought of making it this far in the tournament was a pipe dream just a few years ago.

However, the team has taken the world by surprise and risen up through the T20 ranks at a meteoric pace.

Since being granted international status in 2011, Afghanistan’s success in just 13 years is testimony to the Afghan cricketing fraternity and the players’ resilience and commitment to the game.

Excitement ahead of the match was almost palpable by Wednesday afternoon with social media platforms buzzing with anticipation for a potential India vs Afghanistan final.

Thousands of users expressed their support for Rashid Khan and his men, a team that has carried the tag of “underdog” for quite some time. While others leaned more towards an India vs South Africa final, an “underdog” win on a global sport stage is not unheard of.

In fact South Africa, also once considered an underdog, pulled off an incredible win in the 1995 Rugby World Cup, after having been in global isolation for years, due to sanctions leveled against the former apartheid government.

This Rugby World Cup had been the first major sporting event to take place in South Africa following the end of apartheid and it was the first Rugby World Cup in which South Africa was allowed to compete.

Today, that match stands as a hugely symbolic moment in South African history.

‘One Team, One Country’ – Nelson Mandela’s slogan to forge unity among a divided nation in 1995

The president at the time, Nelson Mandela, used the opportunity to orchestrate a show of unity among the people of a deeply divided nation by using the slogan “One Team, One Country.”

The former government’s policy of apartheid along with its gross human rights violations had long made South Africa an international pariah and from 1964 to 1992 the country was banned from most global sporting events including the Olympic Games.

Mandela however saw the rugby world cup as a way to help lessen divisions between Black and White South Africans and foster a shared national pride – especially as the country was host to this global event. 

By the time South Africa made it to the final, against New Zealand, the nation had rallied in support of the team, put aside their differences, and were rooting wholeheartedly for their country.

Since then, South Africa has gone on to become a global powerhouse in rugby and in cricket, with countless players earning international respect by playing for foreign clubs and leagues.

To a degree, parallels can almost be drawn between South Africa’s history and Afghanistan’s current situation.

For years, cricket in Afghanistan was considered a Pashtun game, just like Black South Africans originally considered rugby to be a game played exclusively by White South Africans.

But this perception in Afghanistan has changed considerably over the past 10 years. After each victory, each milestone, and each successful sale of a player to one or other cricket league, the Afghanistan fan base has grown.

Today, millions of fans watch the matches on TV, they follow the team and players on social media, and hundreds of thousands of Afghan children look up to national players such as Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to name just a few.

Afghanistan after beating Bangladesh earlier this week

It’s these players who are the role models, the heroes, who have against all odds risen up through the debris of war and taken the cricketing world by storm.

The power of sport as a uniting force was clear after the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

In his biography, Mandela, Martin Meredith wrote: “The whole of South Africa erupted in celebration, Blacks as joyful as the Whites.”

“Never before had Blacks had cause to show such pride in the efforts of their White countrymen. It was a moment of national fusion that Mandela had done much to inspire.”

Following South Africa’s victory, Mandela donned a Springbok rugby shirt and cap and proudly presented the trophy to the South African captain Francois Pienaar.

Years later, when Mandela died, Pienaar said that “when the final whistle blew, this country changed forever.”

South Africa’s former president Nelson Mandela hands Francois Pienaar the 1995 Rugby World Cup trophy

It was this display of unity, through sport, that crossed race, tribal and religious lines, and left instead “One Team, One Country”.

In the spirit of Mandela’s words and wisdom, one can understand what Afghanistan’s team captain Rashid Khan was alluding to in his video message on Wednesday when he called on the country, on Afghans at home and around the world, to support their team, and to keep them in their prayers.

But no matter the outcome of the T20 semi-final match on Thursday, the Afghanistan team are already winners in the eyes of millions of fans after having carved out their slice of history – by proving to be worthy of a nation’s pride and unquestionable support. 

Fans across the country can tune in to Ariana Television on Thursday morning from 4.30am for the pre-match show. The match will be broadcast from 5am live and exclusively on Ariana Television. 

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Trinidad and Tobago will host the first semi-final at the event between South Africa and Afghanistan, with India and England battling it out in the second knockout contest from Guyana.

The dates, teams and venues have been confirmed for the knockout stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

South Africa finished the Super Eight stage at the top of Group 2.  The Proteas will take on Afghanistan at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday morning at 5am Kabul time.

Afghanistan booked their place in the final four when they overcame Bangladesh’s fight in the final game of the Super Eights in St Vincent on Tuesday morning. 

After scoring 115/5 in the first innings, Afghanistan bowled out Bangladesh for 105 in a rain-affected game, securing an 8-run win (DLS method).

The second semi-final will take place in Guyana with unbeaten India matched up against reigning T20 World Cup champions England.

India ensured their spot in the semis with an impressive victory over Australia on Monday and will take on Jos Buttler’s side in a rematch of their one-sided contest at the most recent T20 World Cup in Australia two years ago.

Semi-final schedule:

First semi-final: South Africa v Afghanistan, Wednesday June 26 (8:30pm local). The match however will start on Thursday morning at 5am Kabul time, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago

Second semi-final: India v England, Thursday June 27 (10:30am local), Guyana National Stadium, Guyana

Fans in Afghanistan can tune in from 4.30am Kabul time on Thursday morning to watch the match live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

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Afghanistan has made cricketing history, reaching the final four of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup early Tuesday morning after beating Bangladesh in what was one of the most dramatic T20 World Cup contests of all time.

Needing victory to secure their semi-final berth, the Afghans scraped over the line, ending Australia’s campaign by pinching second spot in Group 1 of the Super Eights.

They join India, England and South Africa as the tournament’s four remaining World Cup contenders.

Bangladesh was also in the running, needing to win and win well. But ultimately, it would come down to whether Afghanistan or Australia would progress, as Bangladesh’s run chase in St Vincent went through countless twists and turns.

Rashid Khan won the toss for Afghanistan and they opted to bat first. It took no time for the drama to commence.

On the very first ball, there was action as opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was nearly run out off a quick single, only just making it through. But it was a sign of what was to come.

Bangladesh were relishing the challenge at hand, making run-scoring tough and restricting the Afghans to only five runs from their first two overs.

But like the pair have done on numerous times already, Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran prioritized their wickets, and to good effect. They steered Afghanistan to 27/0 at the conclusion of the Powerplay, but easy runs were proving hard to come by.

Gurbaz and Zadran made it another 50-run stand early in the ninth over, creating a little slice of history in the process. They became the first pair to put together four partnerships of at least 50 in a T20 World Cup.

While Bangladesh did a good job of keeping their opponent’s run rate under control, the extras were adding up – 13 in the first nine overs alone. Afghanistan made it to drinks at 58/0, needing to start pushing the pace more.

The breakthrough wicket came on the fourth ball after the mid-innings break, as Zadran (18 off 29) was caught. The 12th over was a well-timed maiden for Bangladesh, as more nerves kicked in for Afghanistan’s batters.

Gurbaz landed two relieving fours in the 14th over, but that patch of action was surrounded by tight bowling. The pressure started producing chances for Bangladesh and they didn’t miss out.

Azmatullah Omarzai feathered one, removed cheaply, while Gurbaz (43 off 55) was gone two balls later to start the 16th over – his contribution was utterly vital to the Afghans posting a total that would prove even remotely competitive.

Bangladesh took another two wickets before the 18 over mark, seeing Afghanistan at 99/5 with two overs to go.

Rashid Khan put together an entertaining cameo, sending three over the rope and throwing his bat in disgust of the running between the wickets at one point too. But his efforts propelled Afghanistan to 115/5 from 20 overs, right as rain arrived in St Vincent. Australia would join the two competing teams in anxiously waiting to see how long the shower would stick around for.

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Gurbaz was back in focus as play finally resumed, but not on a positive note. An awkwardly-bouncing ball struck the keeper on the knee, causing another short break in play. He limped off the ground, as the most dramatic innings of the tournament officially kicked off.

Fazalhaq Farooqi removed Tanzid Hasan (0 off 3) to claim yet another T20 World Cup scalp. And Naveen-ul-Haq struck two huge blows in the third over, including the captain.

Midway through the fourth, the rain arrived again. The second delay would exhaust the match’s time reserve – any more delay and DLS would come into effect.

Bangladesh clawed their way to 46/3 at the six-over mark, as Litton Das and Soumya Sarkar settled into a partnership across the back half of the Powerplay.

That triggered the introduction of Rashid Khan into the attack, who struck in an instant, removing Sarkar (10 off 10). The pressure was again on Bangladesh, just as their semi-final hopes had started to rise significantly.

Bangladesh needed to complete the run chase in 12.1 overs to overtake the Aussies and qualify for the final four. Back-to-back Towhid Hridoy boundaries in the eighth over swung momentum away from Afghanistan, but Khan took care of Hridoy next over – yet another twist.

Das steadied the ship, as drinks approached, finding assistance from reliable veteran Mahmudullah. The pair had their team at 77/5 at drinks.

In what was proving to be the most chaotic match of the tournament, Khan collected back-to-back wickets to end the 11th over, including Mahmudullah, and place the contest firmly back in the balance. Khan had 17/4 off three overs, doing everything he possibly could.

Suddenly, the rain arrived again, as the Afghans moved above DLS par by a couple of runs. But the third delay was only short-lived, as players returned to the field. The Tigers edged back in front of par in the 13th over, despite their semi-final chances officially coming to an end. Khan finished with figures of 23/4.

The requirement became 20 runs from the last four overs and a timely boundary saw Litton reach a 41-ball half century. He looked to dominate strike and carefully craft the finishing touches on the chase.

But Taskin Ahmed (2 off 9) chopped on a Naveen-ul-Haq ball, making it 109/9 with Bangladesh requiring nine runs from the final eight deliveries – with just one wicket in hand. Mustafizur Rahman walked out to the middle, thinking only about survival. But he was out plum LBW, first ball, as Naveen-ul-Haq’s fourth scalp cued pandemonium.