Srinagar: Afghanistan stunned heavyweights Australia by 21 runs in their Super Eight match of the T20 World Cup here on Sunday.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran shared an opening stand of 118 before Gulbadin Naib took over to drive Afghanistan to a famous 21-run win over Australia in St Vincent on Saturday and keep alive their hopes of reaching the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals.
A win for Australia would have sent the 2021 champions and India into the last four, but even a second hat-trick in as many matches from Pat Cummins was not enough to keep their unbeaten record at the tournament intact.
Half centuries from Gurbaz and Zadran helped the Afghans rack up 148-6 in their 20 overs, before their bowlers dismissed the Australians for 127 on a tricky Kingstown track.
Naib claimed 4-20 and Naveenul Haq bagged 3-20, but it was the third century partnership of the tournament from Gurbaz and Zadran that laid the foundation for a win that also kept Bangladesh alive.
“We’ve waited for a long time (for this),” said man-of-the-match Naib.
“It’s a big moment for our nation and our people. I have no words, but thanks to the fans who supported us in our career and cricket journey […] thank God we finally beat Australia. It’s a great achievement for Afghanistan.
“We have achieved many things in the last 10 years, but this is big.”
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan can finally look forward to sleeping better after Saturday’s T20 World Cup win avenged last year’s loss to Australia in the 50-overs version.
Cramped-up Glenn Maxwell’s incredible double-century helped Australia snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in November, leading to Afghanistan falling just short of qualifying for the semi-finals.
“I can sleep better now, I think,” Khan told reporters.
“That game kept coming in my mind […] Maxi, the way he played that night, took the game away from us and I didn’t sleep the whole night.
“Tonight, because of the happiness I won’t be able to sleep. That’s how happy the whole team is and the whole country is. It’s a massive win for us, as a team, as a nation,” he said.
“Cricket is the only source of happiness back home, we all know that. And I feel like we are so lucky to be here giving happiness to the people back home.”(Reuters)
