June 23rd 2024.
In a stunning turn of events, the underdog Afghanistan team pulled off a major upset by defeating the formidable Australia in the T20 World Cup. Led by Gulbadin Naik's impressive four-wicket haul, Afghanistan's skillful use of slower balls proved to be the key to their victory on a challenging batting wicket. This historic win marks their first ever triumph over Australia in international cricket, and it was a day that will be remembered as one of the most memorable in Afghan cricket history.
Australia, who are the reigning champions of the T20 World Cup, were left reeling with their all-out score of 127 in just 19.2 overs. This loss puts them at risk of being eliminated from the World Cup early, and they now face a must-win situation in their upcoming match against India. On the other hand, Afghanistan's win has given them a fighting chance to advance in the tournament, but they must also win their next match against Bangladesh.
The Afghan openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, laid a solid foundation for their team by forging a 118-run partnership. However, Pat Cummins, who had recently achieved a hat-trick, struck twice to limit Afghanistan's score to a manageable 148 runs. Australia's chase started off poorly, with three early wickets in the powerplay. But Glenn Maxwell's resilient 59 off 41 balls gave them a glimmer of hope. It was not enough, though, as Naib's timely wickets proved to be the deciding factor in toppling the reigning champions.
This win was especially sweet for Afghanistan as it was a revenge of sorts for their loss to Australia in the ODI World Cup in Mumbai last year. Maxwell had been the hero for Australia on that occasion, but this time, Naib's brilliance ensured that the victory belonged to Afghanistan. The Afghan players and their support staff were overjoyed and celebrated the win together.
The result of this match has made Group 1 even more exciting, with both Australia and Afghanistan now having one win each and one match left to play. Meanwhile, India sits at the top of the table with two wins in two games. Afghanistan's bowlers, led by Naveen-ul-Haq, had a stellar performance defending their total of 149 on a spin-friendly wicket. Naveen picked up two early wickets, including that of Australian captain Mitch Marsh, to put them on the back foot from the start.
Maxwell tried to ease the pressure with some boundaries, but Afghanistan's experienced spinner, Mohammad Nabi, removed David Warner and kept the run rate low. Maxwell continued to score, but Naib struck twice to give Afghanistan a fighting chance. When Naib dismissed Maxwell for the second time, it proved to be the turning point as the rest of Australia's batting line-up crumbled. In the end, Afghanistan's bowlers, including Naib, Naveen, and Azmatullah Omarzai, took the remaining wickets to secure a memorable win.
Earlier in the match, Gurbaz and Ibrahim had given Afghanistan a strong start with their third century stand in this T20 World Cup. Gurbaz, with four sixes and four fours, and Ibrahim, with six boundaries, put up a formidable partnership that helped their team reach a challenging total. However, in their pursuit of big hits, Afghanistan lost wickets in quick succession, with Cummins achieving his second hat-trick in T20 World Cups. Despite the loss of wickets, Afghanistan's total proved to be enough to secure a historic victory over Australia.
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