T20 World Cup: Live coverage of Australia’s super-eights clash with Afghanistan
Australia will have to get to the T20 World Cup semifinals the hard way after a remarkable upset at the hands of Afghanistan.
Recap the events of the stunning upset below.
Dropped!
Agar’s battle in the field continue, despite his strong bowling effort! He drops a tough chance running back that was skied from Janat.
Two overs to go: Afghanistan 4-126
Cummins strikes off the last ball of the over, and Rashid Khan goes!
An attempted whack over long on fails to clear Tim David.
That’s 4-8 off the past 14 balls as Australia wrest back the advantage.
AND ANOTHER!
Zadran goes! And things are changing now.
The opener is caught by Marsh at short third to one that rears up a bit.
Zampa finishes with 2-28. Two wickets and three runs off that last over, and importantly now, two new batters at the crease.
ONE BRINGS TWO!
Zampa strikes!
Omarzai misses one that skids on as he tries to work it to the legside, and is clean bowled by Australia’s main man.
Suddenly that 160+ that appeared on the cards for the past half-hour or so looks a little further away as Karim Janat comes in.
It’s 2-122 with 20 balls remaining...
Afghanistan FINALLY lose one
Marsh surprisingly goes back to Stoinis, despite not needing another over out of him.
He goes for a big six over cow corner from Gurbaz, but gets his revenge two balls later as Warner takes a catch in the deep.
Stoinis has a flicking celebration with his hands - not sure what that’s about - but importantly, it’s a much-needed breakthrough for Australia as they look to limit this to sub-150.
Afghanistan are 1-11-9 with four overs left, with Azmatullah Omarzai the new man.
After 15 overs: Afghanistan 0-109
50 up for Gurbaz! There’s a fist pump as he looks to the bench, and as well there might be.
He’s played this beautifully and has given his side more than a puncher’s chance here.
Agar finally restricts the boundary flow and finishes his spell with a neat 0-17.
Can the underdogs push past 160?
After 14 overs: Afghanistan 0-104
There’s been no massive overs, but the Aussies can’t stop the regular boundaries - at least one in each of the past five overs.
Agar’s going to bowl out here. He’s kept it the tighest of anyone with 0-12 off his 3.
After 13 overs: STILL wicketless
When is the breakthrough coming?!
The Aussies go upstairs for an LBW review from Zampa, but there’s a thin edge that saves Gurbaz.
It’s followed immediately by a missed stumping as Wade makes a meal of one, before Agar misses another one on the boundary with a funky bounce that goes for four.
Real pressure on Australia now. 0-96 after 13.
Afghanistan rolling
At 0-81, this is now the highest opening stand Australia have conceded at a T20 World Cup.
‘The kettle is starting to boil’, Ian Smith says on the commentary world feed. ‘The body language suggests Australia are under a bit of pressure here’.
Afghanistan continue to ride their luck a little too, with Stoinis dropping a tough return chance off his own bowling before another near run-out - the third in the space of just a few minutes.
After 11 overs: Afghanistan 0-74
Zadran ramping things up now with a superb lofted drive over cover off Agar.
There’s a check on a potential run-out as Gurbaz scrambled back for a second, taking on Tim David’s arm from the deep, but he makes his ground.
Gurbaz (36 off 35) and Zadran (32 off 31) are both ticking along now. Commendable stuff against this attack
