T20 World Cup 2024: Only guy who put us in semifinals was Brian Lara and we proved him right, says Rashid

Afghanistan reaches T20 World Cup semifinals, proving Brian Lara's prediction right, with Rashid Khan leading the way.

West Indian batting great Brian Lara had predicted Afghanistan would reach the T20 World Cup semifinals nearly a month before the tournament began and now that the giant-slayers have made it, skipper Rashid Khan said he is immensely proud to have proved the legend right.

Afghanistan continued their brilliant run at the T20 World Cup as they marched to their first-ever World Cup semifinal with an eight-run win over Bangladesh in the last Super 8 clash here.

"The only guy who put us in the semifinals was Brian Lara and we proved him right. When we met him at a welcome party, I told him we won't let you down," Rashid said at the post-match presentation.

"I think when you get the kind of great, great statements from a legend, as a team, I think it gives you lots of energy as well. We are capable," he added.

Lara, in an interaction with PTI editors at its headquarters last month, had predicted that Afghanistan would be among the semifinalists in the mega-event.

"Afghanistan, they are capable of getting into the (last) four," Lara had said, while picking his tournament favourites.

Rashid said the conviction that they could advance to the semifinals was ignited by their triumph over heavyweights New Zealand in the group stage.