Captain Mitchell Marsh managed to score 12 runs with a couple of boundaries, but Naveen's cunning pace outwitted him as well. Mohammad Nabi then accounted for the dismissal of seasoned opener David Warner.
Digital Desk: Australia was left stunned by an outstanding performance from Afghanistan's bowlers, spearheaded by Gulbadin Naib and Naveen-ul-Haq, resulting in a surprising 21-run defeat for the Asian team in their Super 8 clash of the ongoing T20 World Cup at Arnos Vale Ground.
It was a memorable night for Afghanistan and their supporters in St Vincent. The Afghan dugout expressed astonishment when Naveen dismissed Ashton Agar, bringing his team closer to a monumental upset in the tournament's history. Travis Head fell victim to Naveen's skillful bowling, losing his wicket without scoring a run.
Captain Mitchell Marsh managed to score 12 runs with a couple of boundaries, but Naveen's cunning pace outwitted him as well. Mohammad Nabi then accounted for the dismissal of seasoned opener David Warner.
Despite wickets tumbling at one end, Glenn Maxwell mounted a spirited resistance against the opposition, combining composure with aggression.
With Maxwell at the crease, nostalgia swept through the stadium as memories of his heroics in past World Cups were evoked. However, Gulbadin ultimately sent Maxwell (59) back to the pavilion, dealing a critical blow from which Australia never recovered, ultimately succumbing to a historic 21-run defeat against Afghanistan.
This victory keeps Afghanistan's hopes alive for a maiden semi-final appearance in the tournament, though their chances remain slim. Following their emphatic win, they are tied on points with Australia, each team having accumulated two. However, Australia maintains a significantly superior net run rate, placing them second with a positive NRR of 0.224, while Afghanistan holds third place with an NRR of -0.650.
Earlier in the innings, after Australia won the toss and opted to field, Afghanistan's openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (60) and Ibrahim Zadran (51) took a steady approach, initially scoring at a run-a-ball pace. They accelerated towards the end, forging a crucial 118-run partnership.
Following Gurbaz's departure, Afghanistan's batting lineup collapsed swiftly. Adam Zampa, Australia's key bowler, struck twice in the 17th over to disrupt Afghanistan's momentum, while Pat Cummins claimed a hat-trick in the 20th over, limiting Afghanistan to 148/6.
Brief Score: Afghanistan 148/6 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 60, Ibrahim Zadran 51; Pat Cummins 3-28) vs Australia 126 (Glenn Maxwell 59; Gulbadin Naib 4-20, Naveen-ul-Haq 3-20).
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