In a stunning upset, Afghanistan secured a historic 21-run victory over Australia in their Super 8 match of the ICC T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Batting first, Afghanistan set a target of 149 runs, thanks to brilliant half-centuries from openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (60 runs) and Ibrahim Zadran (51 runs). Mohammad Nabi’s unbeaten 10 runs also provided crucial late-inning support. Pat Cummins led the Australian bowling attack with three wickets, while Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis chipped in with two and one wickets respectively.
Australia’s chase fell short as their batsmen struggled against Afghanistan’s potent bowling attack. Glenn Maxwell’s lone half-century (50 runs) wasn’t enough to salvage the innings. The hero for Afghanistan was Gulbadin Naib, who ripped through the Australian batting order with a spectacular four-wicket haul, conceding only 20 runs in his four overs. Naveen-ul-Haq provided excellent support with three wickets, while Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Mohammad Nabi each claimed a wicket.
This win puts Afghanistan in a strong position in Group 1, level on points with Australia but behind on run rate. India currently leads the group with four points, while Bangladesh remains winless. Australia’s hopes for a semi-final berth now hinge on defeating India in their final Super 8 match on Monday.
