Afghanistan out to finish World Cup on a high in clash with bruised South Africa

Friday 10 November, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

How to watch South Africa v Afghanistan

Afghanistan have arguably been the surprise packets of the tournament with four stirring triumphs that pushed them to the brink of claiming a spot in the knockout stages of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.

Hashmatullah Shahidi's side looked on track to clinch a critical fifth win in their last encounter until coming across Australia's rampaging Glenn Maxwell who blasted an incredible double ton to take the two points away from Afghanistan.

An Afghanistan victory would have pushed the emerging side into fourth place and two points clear of fellow semi-final contenders New Zealand and Pakistan.

But as it stands, Afghanistan enter this contest sitting in sixth place and all but out of the race for a place in the semi-finals after New Zealand thumped Sri Lanka to give their own net run rate a huge boost and put significant distance between themselves and the chasing pack.

South Africa present a daunting challenge for an Afghanistan side that now need to find one last lift to finish their campaign on a high, after the Proteas surged into the semi-finals with big hitting and huge totals that fired a warning shot across the rest of the tournament.

Temba Bavuma's side have little to play for with a semi-final showdown with Australia already assured, but South Africa will want to rediscover their top form before the stakes rise higher especially after a 243-run defeat to India in their last start.

**South Africa squad:**Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.

**Afghanistan squad:**Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen ul Haq.

South Africa - Marco Jansen

The all-rounder has made an impact with both bat and ball across the Cricket World Cup to play a pivotal role in South Africa securing a spot in the semi-finals with multiple group stage matches still to play.

Jansen is South Africa's leading wicket-taker at the tournament with 17 thus far and has taken at least one scalp in all eight matches, while also adding valuable runs from the middle order highlighted by 75* against England.

But the left-arm pacer will need to bounce back quickly from South Africa's last match when India's top order took Jansen to task and he finished with 1/94 in an unusually disappointing display.

Afghanistan - Ibrahim Zadran

The young opener clubbed Afghanistan's first-ever Cricket World Cup century with 129* against Australia that looked likely to set up a rousing victory before Glenn Maxwell lit up his own fireworks in the chase.

Ibrahim is Afghanistan's top-scorer at the tournament with 361 runs, and earlier smashed 87 against Pakistan while reaching at least double figures in every knock thus far.

Afghanistan's semi-final dream might have faded for now, but if their 21-year-old rising star can compile another classy innings they will be well on the way to making another statement of more opportunities to come.