Afghanistan registered its first-ever victory against the cricket giants, Australia. In T20 World Cup, the Men in Yellow lost their first match by a massive margin of 21 runs.
The biggest upset of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup happened on June 22. In the 48th match, the Asian underdogs crushed cricket superpower Australia. Gulbadin and Naveen Ul Haq were the dynamic duo who emerged as match winners for Afghanistan.
This was a must-win match for Afghanistan to keep their World Cup dreams alive. Not only did the Afghani bowlers keep their campaign alive, but they also broke Australia’s winning streak. This thrilling upset leveled the points of both Australia and Afghanistan in Group 1 of the T20 World Cup.
However, Australia still holds an edge with a better net run rate, placing them second, just behind India.
The Afghanistan vs. Australia match was crucial for both teams. A win for Australia would have secured their spot in the semifinals, while a loss would have ended Afghanistan’s journey. But in a dramatic turn of events, Afghanistan emerged victorious, keeping their World Cup hopes alive and kicking.
Semifinals Race for Australia and Afghanistan
Australia and Afghanistan are both still in the race for the T20 World Cup semifinals. With 4 points from two matches, India has secured their semifinal spot in Group 1. Only one spot remains for the group, and only one team can advance to the semifinals.
Both Australia and Afghanistan must win their next match to stay in contention. If both win, the decision will come down to the net run rate. If Australia loses and Afghanistan wins, Afghanistan will qualify for the semifinals. Conversely, if Afghanistan loses and Australia wins, Australia will advance.
If both teams lose their next match, the net run rate will determine which team advances. However, as per the current situation, Australia will qualify if it comes to a decision based on the net run rate.
On the other hand, Afghanistan seems to have an edge in the upcoming matches. Australia will face the table-toppers, India, on Monday, June 24, at Beausejour Stadium, while Afghanistan will play against the bottom team in the points table.
Winning their next match against Bangladesh should be relatively easy for Afghanistan. However, it won’t be as straightforward for Australia to tackle India.
Afghanistan vs Australia Highlights
Afghanistan caused the biggest upset of the ICC T20 World Cup by defeating Australia. Batting first, Afghanistan posted a modest total of 148 runs. However, Australia failed to chase this seemingly easy target.
The Men in Yellow lost all their wickets without completing their twenty overs, being bowled out for 127 runs in 19.2 overs, resulting in a 21-run defeat.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran scored 60 and 51 runs, respectively, for Afghanistan. For Australia, Glenn Maxwell made a valiant effort with a 59-run inning. The real difference was Afghanistan’s bowling attack, with Naveen-ul-Haq taking three wickets and Gulbadin Naib claiming 4, sealing Afghanistan’s victory.
Also read: India vs Bangladesh: India Is On Track as ODI World Cup
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