Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Thank you all for joining us. Commiserations to Australia and their fans and congratulations to Afghanistan and their supporters. On behalf of Madushka, Thilak and Vairavan, this is Sreshth saying bye bye.

Winning captain Rashid: "It's a massive win for us as a team and nation. Beating Australia is a great feeling. It is something we missed out, in 2023 ODI World Cup and also the 2022 World Cup in Australia. (Gurbaz-Ibrahim stand) Quite important for us that we went back to the same XI. But also its about the opposition, we wanted to post our best XI, that's why we had made changes in the India game. But today we went back to the same XI as the group stage and top effort. (Target in mind) We thought 140 was a good score on this track. We didn't finish well with the bat, but on this pitch, you can always struggle, and we struggled at the end. However the start given by them, it helped us post this total. We knew we were capable of defending as long as we stayed calm. (Naib today) That's the beauty of the team, so many allrounders give you option. When you give him the ball, he is happy to receive it. The way Gulbadin bowled, his experience, that really helped today. Overall great effort by the boys. Nabi's crucial early wicket of Warner... pleasing to see. (Significance of the win) So important for us at home and our fans around the world. Wherever Afghans are, they were badly missing this win. It's just the beginning for us. We have all the chances of making the semis."

Losing captain Marsh: "They got 20 too many. And to be honest they played a really good game of cricket. We were outplayed tonight. (On not batting first, based on ground stats) We did think about it. Lot of teams have bowled first at this World Cup to get an idea of the surface. Don't think we lost at the toss. It was an off-night for us in the field, and we own that. We'll be back next game. It wasn't an easy wicket but both teams played on this surface. (India next...) First and foremost it becomes clear for us. We need to win and no better team to do it against. Full credit to Afghanistan for tonight and we move on quickly."

Tonka: "Congratulations Afghans. Fully deserved. You just ironed out the World Heavyweight Champ. Msg to Australia - sack your fielding coach."

How can Afghanistan qualify to semis? a) If they beat Bangladesh and India beat Australia.
b) Even if Australia beat India by one run, Afghanistan can win by 36+ runs to overtake Australia on NRR and become the second qualifying team.

Deepankar DM : "@JOYDEEP GILL - in 2022 WT20, Australia dropped Mitch Starc against Afghanistan and got knocked out. Maybe that's the history which has repeated itself today, rather than the 2016 one?"

12.07am Stick around for the presentation, folks. We'll have Marsh and Rashid shortly.

Selva with a reminder: "If India beat Australia and Bangladesh defeat Afghanistan by a big margin, Bangladesh qualifies!" -- yes, all four teams are in contention! Just 20 minutes ago we were discussing whether the last two games would be dead-rubbers, guess we all spoke too soon. This result has turned the group on its head!

JOYDEEP GILL: "In 2016 Afghanistan was the only team who defeated west Indies in T20 WC afterwards it west Indies became the world champions can we assume beforehand now Australia gonna be world champions this year"

11.58pm Afghanistan dominate over Australia in all three departments.

They are alive in this T20 World Cup, and Australia are now at risk of being eliminated if they lose to India next week! Afghanistan, meanwhile, can qualify into the semis if they win (ideally by a big margin) over Bangladesh. Group 1 is well and truly alive after this 21-run win, a significant margin in T20s. Afghanistan's final game is after Australia's, so they'll clearly know what margins they need to win by later. For now, let's focus on today, and what a remarkable win this has been.

Only one Australia batter went past a dozen runs, and if you take Maxwell's 59 out of the picture, it paints a sorry picture. Excellent use of the bowlers by Afghanistan today, not necessarily relying on their spinners like Noor and Nabi, but instead deciding their bowlers according to the conditions. Their eighth-used bowler, Gulbadin Naib, finishes with the best figures of the night with 4-20, and Cummins' hat-trick is a mere footnote now.

And here's Gulbadin Naib, the POTM: "Thanks to dear Allah. We've waited for a long time. Big moment for our nation and our people. I have no words to say but thanks to the fans who have supported us in our career and cricket journey. I learnt from the batting innings on how to bowl. Thanks to Rashid for trusting me. It's a whole team effort, Rahmanullah, Zadran, and also Naveen for the momentum. Thank God we finally beat Australia. It is a great achievement for Afghanistan, we have achieved many things in last ten years but this is a big achievement. In the last World Cup we played well and in this World Cup we beat New Zealand too. Australia are a champion side so for us it is a big tournament. Lucky to have this kind of team and management. (Bangladesh next at this ground) At the start of the tournament, we focused on each game. Every game is important for us. Bangladesh are a good team, we can rest tomorrow and we'll think about it." He also says mubarak to his fans in Pashto along with a personalised message.

19.2
W
Azmatullah Omarzai to Zampa, OUT, Afghanistan win! Slower ball, good length delivery around off, and Zampa's swipe across the line finds the man at long-on! Majestic scenes.

A Zampa c Mohammad Nabi b Azmatullah Omarzai 9 (15m 7b 1x4 0x6) SR: 128.57

Bravo, the Afghanistan bowling coach, suggests that they should bowl slower balls

Chuvi: "India couldn't have a better motivation than Knocking Australia out of the WT20 In thei final super 8s match on Monday "

19.1
2
Azmatullah Omarzai to Zampa, 2 runs, full ball on off stump, and he drags a slog to deep midwicket. Does it have the legs for four runs? Nope

Australia need 24 in 6 balls. Zampa has hit ZERO sixes in T20Is

END OF OVER:
19 | 9 Runs | AUS: 125/9 (24 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 6.57, RRR: 24.00)

  • Josh Hazlewood5 (7b)
  • Adam Zampa7 (5b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-21-0
  • Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-20-3
18.6
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Hazlewood, no run, Hazlewood can't get bat on ball. Back of a length ball on middle, and Hazlewood tried to pull, but alas.

Amateur error from the Afghan unit.

18.6
3nb
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Hazlewood, (no ball) 2 runs, over the stumps again. Full ball around leg stump. Gently nurdled towards midwicket for a couple. The fielders try to move around to prepare for the 20th over... but a no-ball has been called! One more extra run, and a free-hit coming up. Reason: too few fielders inside the circle

No team had won chasing at this ground at this T20 World Cup, and yet Australia chose to chase tonight.

18.5
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Zampa, 1 run, good length ball, fourth-stump line. Pace taken off. And the batter can only bunt it gently to the off side for a single
18.4
4
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Zampa, FOUR, important boundary for Australia as they bring the target close. Remember, even NRR is important in the grand scheme of things. This was full outside off and he backs away before slicing a lofted shot over backward point
18.3
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Zampa, no run, around the stumps. Full ball outside off, keeping it away from Zampa's range. Through to the keeper

Aus need 32 in 10

Taz: "I'm blaming it all on the Stoinis sendoff !" -- doesn't look pretty now

18.2
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Hazlewood, 1 run, length ball around off. Pulls this slower ball to deep midwicket
18.1
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Hazlewood, no run, full ball just outside off stump. Hazlewood attempts to hit it straight back, but goes past the bat's inside edge to Gurbaz. Shouts of shabaash from the keeper

END OF OVER:
18 | 3 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 116/9 (33 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.44, RRR: 16.50)

  • Josh Hazlewood2 (3b)
  • Adam Zampa2 (2b)
  • Naveen-ul-Haq4-0-20-3
  • Gulbadin Naib4-0-20-4
17.6
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Hazlewood, 1 run, full ball just outside off. Lifted over cover but without much power. Just one. Naveen finishes with 3-20

JP: "You can hear the excitement in die kiwi commentators voice. nothing will satisfy kiwis more than their arch rivals also losing to Afg" -- That's funny cause the NZ commentators are on this game because this match would've been probably Aus v NZ but they were knocked out. Same with a lot of Pakistan commentators in the USA games

17.5
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to Hazlewood, no run, around the stumps. Good length ball outside off. Misses the cut with the ball swaying away too
17.4
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Zampa, 1 run, full ball just outside off. Gently bunted to the off side for a single

DJ Bravo, Afghanistan bowling coach, is walking around the boundary rope. Nervous energy all around the Afghan camp

Shlok: "Difference between the two sides was fielding. Never thought I would say that about Australia."

17.3
1
Naveen-ul-Haq to Hazlewood, 1 run, full ball just outside off. Toe-ends a drive to the off side
17.2
W
Naveen-ul-Haq to Agar, OUT, and now superman Naib stuns in the field! Slot ball just outside off and Agar hammers an important cover drive with a lot of power, but Gulbadin inside the circle dives to his left and takes a low catch on his non-preferred hand! Flexes after that, showing his biceps off

AC Agar c Gulbadin Naib b Naveen-ul-Haq 2 (10m 5b 0x4 0x6) SR: 40.00

17.1
0
Naveen-ul-Haq to Agar, no run, full ball just outside off. Darts through to the keeper as the batter misses the drive

36 off 18.

END OF OVER:
17 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | AUS: 113/8 (36 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 6.64, RRR: 12.00)

  • Ashton Agar2 (3b)
  • Adam Zampa1 (1b)
  • Gulbadin Naib4-0-20-4
  • Rashid Khan4-0-23-1
16.6
1
Gulbadin Naib to Agar, 1 run, knocked square to the off side for a single. Naib finishes with stunning figures of 4-20
16.5
0
Gulbadin Naib to Agar, no run, chance of a run out, but Noor panics! This was played towards short third and the batters were in no position for a single, especially with the batters stranded in the middle. But Noor releases the throw a shade too early, before Gurbaz could get to the stumps
16.4
1
Gulbadin Naib to Zampa, 1 run, full ball on middle, and worked off his pads to the leg side

Caleb: "Look at that Win Probability fly!"

16.3
W
Gulbadin Naib to Cummins, OUT, slower ball deceives Cummins, that's Naib's four! Full ball on off and this doesn't bunce much. Cummins tries to play across the line but misses. He's bowled and Naib is off in celebration. However he then takes a tumble, has he hurt himself in glee?

PJ Cummins b Gulbadin Naib 3 (9m 9b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

16.2
0
Gulbadin Naib to Cummins, no run, fullish ball outside off stump. Tries to lift it over the off side but misses

Australia 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0DA WarnerTM Head
2nd16DA WarnerMR Marsh
3rd16DA WarnerGJ Maxwell
4th39MP StoinisGJ Maxwell
5th14GJ MaxwellTH David
6th21MS WadeGJ Maxwell
7th2MS WadePJ Cummins
8th3PJ CumminsAC Agar
9th2A ZampaAC Agar
10th14JR HazlewoodA Zampa

ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Super Eights, Group 1
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND33062.017
AFG3214-0.305
AUS3122-0.331
BAN3030-1.709
Super Eights, Group 2
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA33060.599
ENG32141.992
WI31220.963
USA3030-3.906
Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND43071.137
USA42150.127
PAK42240.294
CAN4123-0.493
IRE4031-1.293
Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
AUS44082.791
ENG42153.611
SCOT42151.255
NAM4132-2.585
OMA4040-3.062
Group C
TeamMWLPTNRR
WI44083.257
AFG43161.835
NZ42240.415
UGA4132-4.51
PNG4040-1.268
Group D
TeamMWLPTNRR
SA44080.47
BAN43160.616
SL41230.863
NED4132-1.358
NEP4031-0.542