In a clinical display, South Africa dismantled Afghanistan for a mere 56 runs, securing a dominant nine-wicket win in the opening Twenty20 World Cup semi-final held in Trinidad on Wednesday. This victory propels the Proteas into their inaugural final. South Africa, historically underachievers in such high-stakes matches, had not won a short-format World Cup semi-final since 1992. They now await the winner of the India-England clash in the second semi-final, scheduled for Thursday, with the final set in Barbados on Saturday. The South African bowlers were relentless at the Brian Lara Stadium, dismantling the Afghan batting lineup within 12 overs, limiting them to their lowest T20 international score. Despite occasional batting struggles in the tournament, South Africa's Reeza Hendricks and captain Aiden Markram smoothly reached the target in under nine overs after Fazalhaq Farooqi dismissed Quinton de Kock early. Markram expressed his satisfaction, acknowledging the team's close matches and the support from fans back home. Afghanistan, fresh from a dramatic win over Bangladesh in the Super Eight stage, opted to bat first but faced immediate setbacks as Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada dismantled their top order. Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi further tightened the grip, ensuring Afghanistan's sub-100 score in a semi-final. Despite the bleak outcome, Afghanistan's resilience throughout the tournament was commendable, and their bowlers posed a challenge. Fazalhaq Farooqi added to his wicket tally by dismissing de Kock, but Hendricks and Markram's patient approach saw South Africa through. The win extends their streak to eight consecutive victories, marking a bittersweet end for Afghanistan's captain Rashid Khan, who reflected on the team's exceptional journey to the semi-finals.