Afghanistan struggled on the challenging St Lucia pitch, while their bowlers made short work of Australia’s middle order – especially Pat Cummins who won himself a hat-trick by dismantling Afghan attacks.
Stoinis gave Australia hope with his heroic effort, but Gulbadin Naib’s bowling performance from Afghanistan (especially Naib), who claimed 4- 20 wickets. In this article, we will discuss the main points or high lights of Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs Australian Men’s Cricket Team Match Scorecard.
Scorecard of Afghanistan National Cricket Team vs Australian
Cricket has brought Afghanistan joy during its long struggle under Taliban rule. It has unifying forces across a country while providing pride and hope in an age of war, poverty and insecurity. Although they remain restricted from public celebrations due to Taliban restrictions against public demonstrations of enthusiasm for cricket teams’ success around the globe. As one of cricket’s newest and most promising nations.
But now the game of cricket is under threat with Taliban attempts to establish an Islamic state that would bar women from playing; some international cricket federationss have therefore taken to boycotting matches against this team in solidarity with Afghan women who have had their rights restricted under its oppressive policies; Australia recently cancelled their upcoming series of one-day matches to show solidarity against this issue.
Australian batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran had a 118-run partnership to start things off for Australia before Gulbadin Naib – later named player of the match – struck back with four wickets to keep Australian hopes alive.
Australia’s top order struggled against Afghanistan’s disciplined bowling attack which mixed both pace and spin to great effect, but veteran Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne provided much-needed stability by playing steadie innings of 89 and 76 respectively.
Glenn Maxwell then took an impressive innings with two nerve-settling boundaries in the fifth over. These scores helped Australia reach 49/3 at halfway mark and 70/3 before drinks.
However, in the final over, he mistimed a pull against Naib and missed hitting six; nonetheless, Australia managed a remarkable comeback victory to keep their T20 World Cup campaign alive.
Australia needs to beat India in the final match at Kingstown’s Arnos Vale Ground on Tuesday if they wish to reach the semi-finals and advance further in this tournament. Other results must also go their way, along with maintaining an acceptable net run rate if Australia hopes to progress further in this tournament.
Afghanistan 148 for 6
Once the Taliban were removed from power in 2021, Afghanistan cricket quickly established itself as a formidable team; however, since then they have experienced some turbulent waters. Now ranked just behind India in one-day internationals and playing only two T20Is against Australia since.
But determined efforts by New Zealand on a challenging surface at Arnos Vale ground in Kingstown could see them dethrone Australia from the tournament. Opening duo Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz launched an impressive opening powerplay and established themselves in a commanding position by game’s end.
Australian bowlers made the most of an inept fielding performance that saw numerous dropped chances and runs leaked through defending the ropes, with Pat Cummins completing another hat-trick to put Australia 148/6 behind in their run chase.
Gulbadin Naib’s excellent spell was instrumental in destabilising Australia’s innings and earning four wickets during his six-over spell – Travis Head caught off a searing slower ball while Mitchell Marsh played one to short mid-off.
Australia attempted a comeback, as Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell produced some late boundaries that helped reach 50/3 in an eight-over period – but unfortunately too late.
Afghanistan bowlers at Arnos Vale ground in Kingstown made a strong effort to thwart Australia’s run-chase hopes. Naib struck twice with wicket-taking overs, taking Stoinis before trapping Tim David at long-on off Rashid Khan for one.
Adam Zampa took two wickets – Khan and Karim Janat – but it was too little, too late: Afghanistan were easily able to see off Australia’s challenge with ease, leading them all in celebrations on both teams.
Afghanistan scored an amazing victory against the reigning world cup champions to claim an unexpected triumphant win in this World Cup tournament. If they can defeat India again in their final match, Afghanistan will qualify for quarter-final play-offs and move onto quarter-final play-offs.
Australia 127 for 9
Rashid Khan’s Afghanistan sent shockwaves through cricket with their maiden World Cup win against Australia at Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, Saint Vincent’s Super Eights match on Tuesday. Glenn Maxwell made history against Afghan spinners by scoring an exceptional half century – recalling his heroics against them last year during an ODI World Cup clash and giving his side an early advantage after Powerplay 2.
Australia captain Mitch Marsh won the toss and elected to field on a pitch that would support spinners, yet Afghanistan quickly exposed this tactic by sharing an impressive opening partnership of 118 runs between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran that put them firmly in charge.
Australia’s fielding performance, however, mirrored their batting performance: Marcus Stoinis dropped an easy chance off Gurbaz in the 13th over, while Adam Zampa parried an extremely difficult return catch from Zadran off Hazlewood five balls later. By the time Gurbaz was dismissed in 16th over, Australia had lost momentum completely and momentum had left their side completely.
As wickets continued to fall regularly, spinners made themselves known and defeated Australian batsmen with ease. Adam Zampa had one costly over in the 15th over, featuring two boundaries and a missed stumping chance which Matthew Wade failed to convert. It was Pat Cummins who finally broke through for Australia, picking up two wickets consecutively over six overs before becoming the first bowler ever to claim two T20I hat-tricks simultaneously and giving home team some hope.
Australia faces India on Monday at Gros Islet in order to keep their semi-final hopes alive, while Afghanistan can ensure top spot by defeating Bangladesh if India win against them and finish third overall in Group E. Should that occur, Afghanistan would make history by becoming the first Asian team ever to reach any form of World Cup Final Four since 1974! A monumental feat indeed for an inspirational side such as theirs.
Final score
Afghanistan stunned Australia to a 21-run defeat and gained the upper hand in their Super Eights match in Saint Vincent, becoming their first defeat ever against them across any format – crushing Mitch Marsh’s side’s hopes of joining India in the semi-finals of this tournament. Spinner Gulbadin Naib played an instrumental part in Australia’s defeat, taking four wickets and making an eye-catching catch that put Australia out of reach of victory.
Following a relatively sedate start, Afghan openers punished any overpitched balls from Australian bowlers on a Kingstown pitch that offered plenty of turn and variable bounce. Marcus Stoinis finally managed to find a breakthrough when Gurbaz top-edged a pull shot towards David Warner at deep backward square leg but Australia’s bowlers led by Adam Zampa (2-28) and Pat Cummins (2-33) ensured the visitors never found their groove again.
Glenn Maxwell looked poised to repeat his heroics from Mumbai 2023 and give Australia hope of an impressive comeback when he tore through the middle orders, hitting two fours off rookie left-arm spinner Kharote and hitting a powerful six over midwicket before eventually being dismissed by Naib with a low catch at backward point by Noor Ahmad for 59 off 41 balls.
Maxwell had made an extraordinary innings before this catch came, nearly reaching double hundred without being dismissed, before falling over at first slip and failing to complete it. It was an outstanding catch to end a remarkable innings by Naib and signaled an end of Maxwell’s chances for a magnificent win. Earlier, he had threatened an unbeaten double century again when he pulled one away from him to come within one ball of reaching it before falling over at first slip.
Naib was instrumental in Afghanistan’s win, taking Mitchell Marsh’s wicket with an accurate slower ball that swung and seamed through him in the 19th over and Mohammad Nabi caught at short fine leg in his next over. David Warner then hit one run back through short midwicket; enough for Afghanistan to secure their second World Cup win and keep their slim hopes of qualifying alive.