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On Sunday, June 23, Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan cricket team pulled off a historic 21-run win with four balls to spare against former T20 World Cup champions Australia at the Arnos Vale ground in Kingstown, St Vincent. Earlier in the match, the Mitchell Marsh-led side won the toss and elected to bowl first.
After inviting the Afghans to take the crease and put runs on the scoreboard, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (60) and Ibrahim Zadran (51) stitched a crucial partnership, giving a brilliant start. Despite the opening pair, none of the Afghanistan batters could make a mark, eventually adding only 148 runs on the board in their stipulated 20 overs.
Pat Cummins once against starred with the ball for the Aussies, completing back-to-back hat-tricks, along with Adam Zampa, who finished with the figures of 2/28 in his four-over spell. Apart from them, Marcis Stoinis also got a wicket of wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
In the run chase, the Australian opening pair could not get going with the bat at the top of the order. While skipper Mitchell Marsh added 12 runs, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was the only batter to score a 41-ball 59. Apart from Marsh, Maxwell and Stoinis, none of the Australian batters got to the double-digit mark, eventually getting bundled out for 127 in 19.2 overs and falling short by 21 runs to get their first defeat of the T20 World Cup 2024.
In the bowling side of things, Gulbadin Naib shone for Afghanistan with his four-wicket haul, while Naveen-ul-Haq also scalped three wickets. Apart from them, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, and skipper Rashid Khan also got a wicket a piece.
As the battle for the semifinals get intense, Australia will next take on India on Monday, June 24 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia, while the Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan will aim to dent Aussies hopes as they take on Bangladesh on June 25 at the Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent.
