In Thursday’s ICC T20 World Cup semifinal at Tarouba, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss and chose to bat first against South Africa.

In the ODI and T20I forms, Proteas and Afghanistan are competing for the title of first-ever winners in an ICC World Cup. In Group 1, Afghanistan finished second behind India with two wins—including a historic victory against Australia—and a loss. In Group 2, South Africa completed the group stage undefeated. While Afghanistan will be looking to continue their giant-slaying ways and defeat yet another elite side, South Africa will be hoping to end a run of seven consecutive losses in the ICC World Cup semifinals and go to the finals.

“We would like to bat first; it’s a fresh wicket, and we will like to have a good total on the board,” said Afghanistan’s captain, Rashid, at the toss. The middle order does not have much time in the middle; they must be out in the fifteenth or sixteenth over, and it is not a simple task. The top order has done a wonderful job of taking charge and batting well. It is not simple to have a 4-hour flight delay. You must perform at your highest level, even if you just get an hour’s sleep. We will use the same starting lineup.

“It’s a new wicket, and we are not too upset about bowling first,” said South Africa captain Aiden Markram. “We would have probably batted first as well.” We haven’t fully mastered the bat just yet; the going hasn’t been easy. We’re hoping to do well in the field and at bat and advance to the semi-final. The same group for us.

Afghanistan’s starting eleven are: Rashid Khan (c), Nangeyalia Kharote, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rashid Khan (w), and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w).

Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, and Tabraiz Shamsi are the members of South Africa’s playing XI.