Moeen staves off an England calamity
England survived a major scare against Afghanistan to sustain their World T20 hopes, recovering from 85 for 7 to steal home by 15 runs
23/03Result
24th Match, Super 10 Group 1 (D/N), World T20 at Delhi, Mar 23 2016
-
![England]( "England")
142/7 -
![Afghanistan]( "Afghanistan")
127/9 (20 ov)
Player of the Match
23/03Result
24th Match, Super 10 Group 1 (D/N), World T20 at Delhi, Mar 23 2016
-
![England]( "England")
142/7 -
![Afghanistan]( "Afghanistan")
127/9 (20 ov)
Player of the Match
Match Centre
Statistics
Best performances - Batsmen
MM Ali
41(33) 4x4 - 1x6
Control %82%
- Productive Shot
- on drive
- 12 runs
- 2x4 - 0x6
Best performances - Bowlers
Mohammad Nabi
- O4
- M0
- R17
- W2
- Eco4.25
| 1W | ||||
- FTFULL TOSS
- YYORKER
- FFULL LENGTH
- GGOOD LENGTH
- SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
- SSHORT LENGTH
| 1W | ||||
Rashid Khan
- O4
- M0
- R17
- W2
- Eco4.25
| 1W | ||||
- FTFULL TOSS
- YYORKER
- FFULL LENGTH
- GGOOD LENGTH
- SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
- SSHORT LENGTH
| 1W |
Match Details
Series
Toss
England , elected to bat first
Player Of The Match
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
15:00 start First Session 15.00-16.25, Interval 16.25-16.45, Second Session 16.45-18.10
Match days
23 March 2016 - day/night match (20-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Points
England 2, Afghanistan 0
Scorecard Summary
AFGHANISTAN 127/9 (20 OVERS)
- Samiullah Shinwari22 (27)
- Shafiqullah*35 (20)
- Adil Rashid2/18 (3)
- David Willey2/23 (4)
Scorer: M Venkat Raghav | Commentator: Will Luke
END OF OVER:20 | 8 Runs | AFG: 127/9 (16 runs required, RR: 6.35)
- Shafiqullah35 (20b)
- Shapoor Zadran0 (0b)
- Ben Stokes3-0-28-1
- Chris Jordan4-0-27-1
Morgan is asked "Can you put this win into context?" He responds, a little cautiously and with the makings of a wry grin on his face: "I think we came here for a win and we won." True enough. "Ultimately, to dissect the performance, we will do so before playing Sri Lanka."
Speaking of Afghanistan, he said: "They play a great band of cricket; if underperforming, you can come unstuck. We didn't adapt to the pitch - we didn't get that right. To get up to 143, Ali and Willey played really well. And I thought we fielded well and bowled well."
So that's that. The debate over giving Associates more exposure will rumble on, seemingly forever, but until forever happens, there's India v Bangladesh to amuse us - coming up shortly. Join us for that, and thank you for your company today.
We'll hear from the captains shortly, so we will. Have a read of The Report while you wait.
Moeen Ali is named Player of the Match, unsurprisingly. I should tell you that England's NRR is now +0.02. So, a big improvement, but it does make their match against Sri Lanka marginally important.
So, England win and are still alive in the tournament - could have been so different. Afghanistan bowled brilliantly for 16, 17 overs of their innings; it was only when Moeen Ali and David Willey came together in the final three overs that England took control of the contest. And once they'd dismissed Shahzad, the rest felt like a procession - a few lusty blows aside, Afghanistan were never really in the chase.
19.6
4
Stokes to Shafiqullah, FOUR, four! I still believe! Oh, last ball - all over. Terrific shot, creamed out through cover, but England win by 15 runs
19.5
0
Stokes to Shafiqullah, no run, scoop, falls over! Nice idea, certainly, but didn't get quite into position. In fact, I think the ball hit him
19.4
0
Stokes to Shafiqullah, no run, very well bowled. Game over. Dug out and hit back to Stokes
19.3
0
Stokes to Shafiqullah, no run, well bowled - very full and fast and he gets an inside edge. Buttler does brilliantly! Dives to his left and it needs a dive, too - that had four written all over it
19.2
0
Stokes to Shafiqullah, no run, good bouncer, goes for a hook but misses - or possibly he headed it. Yes, he's taken that on the helmet
A kite has appeared in the deep. There's an omen!
Drew: "WHERE IS MARK WOOD? WE WANT WOOD"
19.1
4
Stokes to Shafiqullah, FOUR, poor ball. Wide of the off stump and Shafiq steps to leg, swings his arms and gets a thick outside edge for four to third man! Stokes is ticking. He's ticking and shaking his head
24 from 6 wee balls. Four sixes. Oh blimey it's Stokes to bowl...this could be tasty
Match Coverage
All Match NewsEngland survive macho tussle
Taking on Afghanistan at their own game very nearly cost England, despite Eoin Morgan's claims to the contrary
Afghanistan were '100%' set on winning - Rashid
Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's teenage legspinner, believed "100%" that his team were on course for victory over England after they had claimed six wickets in the first 10 overs of their contest at Delhi
Moeen staves off an England calamity
England survived a major scare against Afghanistan to sustain their World T20 hopes, recovering from 85 for 7 to steal home by 15 runs
Afghanistan don't yearn for sympathy, they yearn only for a win
Two impassioned screams for lbw, neither of them given, told the story of an Afghanistan side who are so close to winning, but just can't get over the line
ICC Men's T20 World Cup
| Super 10 Group 1 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| WI | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.359 |
| ENG | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.145 |
| SA | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.651 |
| SL | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -0.461 |
| AFG | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -0.715 |
| Super 10 Group 2 | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| NZ | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 1.9 |
| IND | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | -0.305 |
| AUS | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.233 |
| PAK | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | -0.093 |
| BAN | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | -1.805 |
| First Round Group A | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| BAN | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1.938 |
| NED | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.154 |
| OMA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -1.521 |
| IRE | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -0.685 |
| First Round Group B | |||||
| Team | M | W | L | PT | NRR |
| AFG | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1.54 |
| ZIM | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -0.567 |
| SCOT | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -0.132 |
| HKG | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1.017 |