KATHMANDU: Afghanistan achieved a historic victory over Australia by defeating them for the first time, ending Australia's unbeaten run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This win places Afghanistan and Australia in close contention to join India in the next tournament phase. Mitch Marsh, Australia’s captain, won the toss and chose to field, a decision that quickly seemed questionable as Afghanistan's openers performed exceptionally well, reaching 40/0 by the end of the Powerplay and 64/0 by the midpoint of the innings.
Australian bowlers Agar and Adam Zampa struggled, with Zampa giving 13 runs in the 13th over and squandering a stumping opportunity. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran both struck half-centuries, putting Australia under strain. However, the game began to change when Marcus Stoinis removed Gurbaz in the 16th over, followed by Zampa's two important wickets, including Zadran's, in the next over. Pat Cummins, who had just scored a hat-trick against Bangladesh, added another hat-trick, finishing with numbers of 3/28. Despite multiple defensive mistakes, Australia limited Afghanistan to 148/6 in 20 overs.
Afghanistan's bowlers, led by Rashid Khan, immediately put Australia under pressure. Naveen-ul-Haq bowled Travis Head in his third delivery and dismissed Marsh in his second over, leaving Australia in trouble. Glenn Maxwell hit two boundaries in the fifth over, but David Warner's dismissal gave Afghanistan a strong position, with Australia at 33/3 by the end of the Powerplay. Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis brought Australia to 70/3 at the innings’ midpoint, but Stoinis fell shortly after drinks, and Tim David was cheaply dismissed.
Maxwell’s half-century offered some hope for Australia, but Gulbadin Naib’s excellent delivery led to Maxwell’s dismissal, caught brilliantly by Noor Ahmad. With Matthew Wade's top edge leaving Australia at 108/7 and Cummins unable to replicate his bowling success with the bat, Australia needed 36 runs from the final three overs. Afghanistan’s fielding was outstanding, converting every opportunity into a wicket, and the dismissal of Zampa sealed Australia’s fate.
This remarkable victory was Afghanistan's first over Australia and remains one of the team's most recognized victories. The victory not only demonstrated Afghanistan's cricketing talent, but also put them in a strong position in the tournament rankings, marking a watershed moment in their cricketing history.
