 "T20 World Cup 2024 AUS vs AFG highlights: Afghanistan win by 21 runs")
Afghanistan believe!
Rashid Khan's men avenged the disappointing defeat in 2023 ODI World Cup from Australia by defeating the Kangaroos by 21 runs at Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent on Sunday morning (June 23). With the win, Afghanistan kept their hopes alive for a place in semifinal of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
Rashid Khan's men avenged the disappointing defeat in 2023 ODI World Cup from Australia by defeating the Kangaroos by 21 runs at Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent on Sunday morning (June 23). With the win, Afghanistan kept their hopes alive for a place in semifinal of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
The Afghans were brilliant while defending 150-run target before Glenn Maxwell came in their way for a win. Maxwell tamed the Afghani spinners, hitting sixes at will, with memories of 2023 ODI World Cup taking centrestage among the fans.
Maxwell blazed away, slamming 59 off 41 balls ( 6 Fours, 3 Sixes) and it seemed he would put salt to the six-month-old wound with his power-hitting.
But Gulbadin Naib, who already took the wicket of Marcus Stoinis and Tim David, produced a magical delivery to find a thick outside edge and Noor Ahmad took a stunner at backward point to bring the Afghans back in the game.
Naib finished with best bowling figures of 4-0-20-4 as he also claimed the wicket of Pat Cummins.
Australia were eventually bundled out for 127 in 19.2 Overs. Aussies will next play against India and the Rohit Sharma's men could knock Australia out of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
Australia were eventually bundled out for 127 in 19.2 Overs. Aussies will next play against India and the Rohit Sharma's men could knock Australia out of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.
| Australia Inning | ||||||
| 127-10 (19.2 ov) CRR:6.57 | ||||||
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
| Travis Head | b N Haq | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| David Warner | c N Ahmad b M Nabi | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 37.5 |
| Mitchell Marsh (C) | c M Nabi b N Haq | 12 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 133.33 |
| Glenn Maxwell | c N Ahmad b G Naib | 59 | 41 | 6 | 3 | 143.9 |
| Marcus Stoinis | c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b G Naib | 11 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 64.71 |
| Tim David | lbw b G Naib | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
| Matthew Wade (WK) | c K Janat b R Khan | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 71.43 |
| Pat Cummins | b G Naib | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Ashton Agar | c G Naib b N Haq | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Adam Zampa | c M Nabi b A Omarzai | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 128.57 |
| Josh Hazlewood | Not out | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 71.43 |
| Extras | 16 (b 2, Ib 6, w 7, nb 1, p 0) | |||||
| Total | 127 (10 wkts, 19.2 Ov) | |||||
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | NB | ECO |
| Naveen ul Haq | 4 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | 1.2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 7.5 |
| Mohammad Nabi | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nangeyalia kharote | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Rashid Khan | 4 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 5.75 |
| Noor Ahmad | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Gulbadin Naib | 4 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
Check Australia vs Afghanistan full scorecard | ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024
Afghanistan innings report
From 118/0 in the 16th over to finish at 148/6 – this highlights Afghanistan's inexperience in crucial situations and Australia's resilience.
It was their reliable performer Pat Cummins who starred once again, securing back-to-back hat-tricks to ensure the innings ended poorly despite a superb start from the openers. Both Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz began brilliantly on a tricky surface.
They took some time in the powerplay but later took a few chances to register fifties. They ran like Olympic sprinters to steal plenty of doubles as Australia were unusually sloppy in the field. Numerous misfields and dropped chances helped Afghanistan along the way.
Afghanis were looking good for 170-180 at one point, but the innings fizzled out when both openers were dismissed within the span of 8 balls.
Australia would be very pleased with their fightback, but this is a difficult batting surface with some early seam movement and spongy bounce.
| Afghanistan Inning | ||||||
| 148-6 (20 ov) CRR:7.40 | ||||||
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK) | c D Warner b M Stoinis | 60 | 49 | 4 | 4 | 122.45 |
| Ibrahim Zadran | c M Marsh b A Zampa | 51 | 48 | 6 | 0 | 106.25 |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | b A Zampa | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Karim Janat | c TH David b P Cummins | 13 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 144.44 |
| Rashid Khan (C) | c TH David b P Cummins | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40 |
| Mohammad Nabi | Not out | 10 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 250 |
| Gulbadin Naib | c G Maxwell b P Cummins | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nangeyalia kharote | Not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| Extras | 9 (b 4, Ib 1, w 4, nb 0, p 0) | |||||
| Total | 148 (6 wkts, 20 Ov) | |||||
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | WD | ECO |
| Ashton Agar | 4 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4.25 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 1 | 9.75 |
| Pat Cummins | 4 | 0 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Adam Zampa | 4 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Marcus Stoinis | 2 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 9.5 |