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    Afghanistan Stuns Australia
Afghanistan Stuns Australia
Afghanistan Team. Source: indianexpress.com

Afghanistan Stuns Australia

Afghanistan 148 for 6 (Gurbaz 60, Ibrahim 51, Cummins 3-28, Zampa 2-28) defeated Australia 127 (Maxwell 59, Gulbadin 4-20, Naveen 3-20) by 21 runs

Afghanistan celebrated a historic victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight, despite Pat Cummins securing his second hat-trick in as many matches. This triumph, Afghanistan's first against Australia in any format, saw them winning by 21 runs, effectively overshadowing Cummins' personal milestone.

Exploits

Cummins continued his impressive form by taking a second consecutive hat-trick in the World Cup, achieving this rare feat across his final two overs in St Vincent. He removed Rashid Khan with the last ball of the 18th over, then dismissed Karim Janat and Gulbadin Naib in quick succession to finish with figures of 3-28. Reflecting on his achievement, Cummins mentioned during the innings break that he remembered he was on a hat-trick this time, unlike during his hat-trick against Bangladesh. He marvelled at getting two in a row after over 100 games for Australia.

Afghanistan’s Powerful Opening  

Afghanistan set up their victory with a strong opening partnership between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, who scored 60 and 51, respectively. They formed their third century stand of the tournament, becoming the first pair to do so in any T20I series. The duo patiently played out 21 dot balls in the initial four overs, scoring only 17 runs, but swiftly accelerated to finish the power play at 40 for 0. They maintained their momentum until the 16th over, frustrating Australia, who couldn’t secure a breakthrough until then.

Afghanistan Exploits Australia’s Fielding Errors  

Gurbaz and Ibrahim capitalised on Australia’s uncharacteristically sloppy fielding. Ibrahim benefitted from two dropped catches, one by Adam Zampa in the outfield and another by Marcus Stoinis off a return catch, which allowed him to continue building the innings. Their disciplined batting and Australia's missed opportunities laid a solid foundation for Afghanistan, who finished with a competitive 148 for 6 after Cummins' late hat-trick slowed their scoring.

Australia’s Collapse and Maxwell's Lone Resistance  

Australia’s chase started poorly, with their top order decimated by Afghanistan’s seamers. Naveen-ul-Haq led the assault, taking the crucial wickets of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh, leaving Australia at 16 for 2 after three overs. Glenn Maxwell, entering the fray, played aggressively to keep Australia in the game. He smashed Azmatullah Omarzai for two boundaries and took apart rookie spinner Nangeyalia Kharote, reverse-sweeping and slog-sweeping him for a boundary and a six. Maxwell continued to challenge Rashid Khan and reached a half-century off 35 balls, seemingly steering Australia towards a semi-final spot.

Naib’s Heroics Secure Afghanistan’s Win  

However, Gulbadin Naib turned the game in Afghanistan’s favour with a career-best T20I performance of 4 for 20. Brought in as the eighth bowler, Naib dismissed Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Pat Cummins. Maxwell’s dismissal came when he mistimed a shot off Naib, and was caught brilliantly by Noor Ahmad at backward point, leaving Australia reeling at 106 for 6 in the 15th over. Naib celebrated with a roar that resonated with Afghan fans, both in the stadium and beyond.

Naib's final oversaw him outwit Cummins with a slower cutter, solidifying Afghanistan’s position. Naveen-ul-Haq and Omarzai then finished the job, bowling Australia out for 127 and sealing a 21-run victory.

Summary  

Afghanistan's disciplined performance and capitalising on Australia’s fielding lapses propelled them to a memorable win, despite Pat Cummins' remarkable hat-trick. The game highlighted Afghanistan's growing prowess in T20 cricket and their ability to compete with and defeat top-tier teams like Australia.

With this victory, Afghanistan demonstrated their resilience and strategic brilliance, while Australia, despite Cummins' heroics, faced the harsh reality of elimination from the T20 World Cup.

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