In the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba in Trinidad, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss and chose to bat first against Aiden Markram’s South Africa. But they had a dismal start to their semifinal run. Half of the Afghan side was lost on the powerplay.

Fortunately for Afghanistan, there isn’t yet an unchanging bounce that may become relevant as the ball grows softer. However, the pitch is acting a little strangely right now, and the odd ball is bouncing a little more. With Rashid Khan the only remaining recognized batsman, the issues will only get worse. In the semi-final, the Proteas had the upper hand.