T20 WC: Afghanistan stun Australia, stay alive in semi-final race
What's the story
Afghanistan have stunned Australia in the Super 8 Match 48 of the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup. They defended 148 at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown to stay alive in the semi-final race. While Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran slammed fifties, Gulbadin Naib took a four-wicket haul. Glenn Maxwell's 59 and a hat-trick from Pat Cummins went in vain.
Afghanistan's innings
Afghanistan post a decent total
Though both openers Gurbaz (60) and Zadran (51) hammered fifties, they couldn't accelerate even after getting settled. The Aussie bowlers bowled brilliantly in the death overs as the Afghan team went from 118/0 to 141/6. While Cummins (3/22) claimed a hat-trick, Adam Zampa (2/28) dismissed two batters. Afghanistan eventually finished at 148/6.
Australia's chase
Australia falter in reply
The Aussies were off to a poor start as Naveen-ul-Haq dismissed Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh cheaply with the new ball. David Warner also couldn't contribute much as Australia were reduced to 32/3. Though Maxwell fought alone with a brilliant knock, he did not get the required support. Naib's sensational spell meant the Aussies were folded for 127 in 19.2 overs.
Records
Gurbaz, Zadran accomplish these records
Earlier in the tournament, the two openers added 154 runs against Uganda and 103 runs against New Zealand. As mentioned, they became the first pair to register three century partnerships in a T20 WC edition. Overall, they became the second pair after Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan with three 100-plus stands in the competition's history.
Gurbaz
Gurbaz races past 1,600 T20I runs
Gurbaz made 60 off 49 balls (4 fours, 4 sixes). He has raced to 1,614 runs across 61 T20Is at 26.46. In addition to his 10 fifties, he owns a ton (SR: 139.34). Gurbaz has tallied 391 runs across 14 T20 WC games at 27.92. He is the leading run-getter of the ongoing event with 238 runs at 39.67 (50s: 3).
Ibrahim
Decent effort from Ibrahim
Ibrahim ended up scoring 51 off 48 balls (6 fours). The star opener has now raced to 1,085 runs across 42 T20Is at 30.13. This was his eighth fifty as his strike rate reads 108.93. He hit his second T20 WC fifty as he now owns 291 runs across nine games at 32.33. Ibrahim has tallied 211 runs at 35.16 in the ongoing event.
Records
Here are some more records
As per Cricbuzz, Gurbaz and Ibrahim's partnership run rate of 7.45 versus Australia is the second-lowest for a 100-plus stand in T20 WC. They also top the list for scoring 103 runs at a run rate of 7.10 against NZ earlier in the competition. Overall in T20Is, Gurbaz and Ibrahim have added 1,039 runs as a pair at 47.22 (100s: 4, 50s: 4).
Cummins
Cummins scripts these records
Cummins became the first bowler to claim successive T20I hat-tricks. While Tim Southee and Lasith Malinga are the only other full-member team bowlers with two T20I hat-tricks, no other bowler has accomplished the milestone more than once in the T20 WC. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh game saw Cummins become the second Aussie to register a T20 WC hat-trick. He joined Brett Lee (versus Bangladesh, 2007).
Records
Fourth Aussie with this feat
Besides Lee and Cummins, Ashton Agar and Nathan Ellis are the other Australians with T20I hat-tricks. Meanwhile, Cummins, who recorded 3/28 in four overs, has now raced to 66 scalps across 56 T20Is at an economy of 7.36. He has also completed 23 T20 WC wickets across 21 games (ER: 7.62). Nine of his scalps have come in the ongoing edition.
Information
Do you know?
Curtis Campher, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kagiso Rabada, Karthik Meiyappan, and Joshua Little are the others to register a hat-trick in the mega tournament besides Lee and Cummins. Meanwhile, Cummins went wicket-less in his only preceding outing against Afghanistan in T20Is.
Naib
Career-best figures for Naib
Naib recorded career-best figures worth 4/20 in four overs. He has now raced to 32 wickets across 71 T20Is as their economy reads 8.05. 11 of his wickets have come in the T20 WC (6 in the ongoing edition). He went wicket-less in his only previous T20I outing against the Aussies. The medium pacer has overall completed 76 T20 wickets (ER: 8.19).
Naveen
Another fine spell from Naveen
Naveen claimed 3/20 in four overs. He has completed 55 wickets across 43 T20Is at an economy of 7.96. He has completed nine wickets in the ongoing edition (ER: 7.96). Naveen overall owns 17 wickets in the mega tournament as he recorded his best figures. He now has six wickets in two T20Is against the Aussies. Overall, Naveen boasts 227 T20 wickets (ER: 8.24).
Maxwell
Third T20 WC fifty for Maxwell
Maxwell, who scored a 41-ball 59, hit six fours and three sixes. This was his third T20 WC fifty as he raced past 500 runs (now 558) in the competition at 27.90 in 30 games. He has tallied 112 runs at 28 in the ongoing event. The all-rounder touched the 30-run mark for the first time in his last 14 T20 innings.
Maxwell versus Afghanistan
Second successive fifty against Afghanistan
Maxwell has raced to 113 runs across two T20Is against Afghanistan as he slammed fifties in both outings. Overall, he has raced to 2,580 runs in 112 T20Is at 30. His strike rate reads 154.67 (50s: 11, 100s: 5). The veteran went past 500 (now 525) T20I runs in neutral venues at 22.82. Maxwell has also completed 9,815 T20 runs at 27.57.
Points table
Updates in the points table
Both teams now own one win and a defeat in the Super 8 stage. However, Australia hold the second place in Group 1 as their NRR (+0.223) is better than that of Afghanistan (NRR: -0.650). Rashid Khan's men hold the third spot. Both sides must win their respective last fixtures besides keeping an eye on each other's results.