St Vincent: In a thrilling encounter at the Arnos Vale Ground, Afghanistan pulled off a historic 21-run victory over Australia in the Super 8 clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The Afghan bowlers, spearheaded by a sensational spell from Gulbadin Naib and Naveen-ul-Haq, left the Australian team in shock and disbelief. This remarkable win was a night to remember for Afghanistan and their fans in St Vincent.
Australia’s batting woes began early as Travis Head was dismissed by Naveen-ul-Haq for a three-ball duck, outdone by the ball’s movement. Skipper Mitchell Marsh attempted to build momentum with a couple of boundaries but was also outfoxed by Naveen’s crafty pace, departing for 12.
Veteran opener David Warner was soon sent packing by Mohammad Nabi, further denting Australia’s top order. With early wickets tumbling, Glenn Maxwell stepped up with a blend of composure and aggression, aiming to stabilise the innings. Maxwell’s valiant knock of 59 kept Australia in contention, but Afghanistan’s Gulbadin Naib delivered a crucial blow, dismissing Maxwell and extinguishing Australia’s chances.
The loss of Maxwell proved too much for Australia to recover from, leading to a significant 21-run defeat at the hands of Afghanistan. This victory marks Afghanistan’s first-ever win over Australia, keeping their semi-final aspirations alive.
Earlier in the first innings, Afghanistan’s openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, built a solid foundation. Both batsmen played cautiously, maintaining a steady run rate of a run-a-ball for the majority of their innings. However, they accelerated towards the end, forming an impressive 118-run partnership. Gurbaz scored a commendable 60, while Zadran contributed with 51, giving Afghanistan a strong start.
Despite the strong opening stand, Afghanistan’s innings unraveled quickly after Gurbaz’s dismissal. Australia’s Adam Zampa turned the tide with a crucial double strike in the 17th over, halting Afghanistan’s momentum. The collapse continued, culminating in a dramatic finish when Pat Cummins secured a second successive hat-trick in the 20th over, reducing Afghanistan to a modest total of 148/6.
Afghanistan Playing 11: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Nangeyalia Kharote, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Australia Playing 11: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
