Giant-killers for a reason. Afghanistan produced the best performance of the tournament so far, as an all-round effort, powered by Gulbadin Naib, helped them claim a historic 21-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup on Sunday.
Their win tonight marks the first time the Afghans have registered a win against the Aussies in World Cup cricket, and it also powers them to a potential top-two finish in the Super Eight.
It was a debatable call from Australian skipper Marsh to opt to bowl first at a pitch notorious for acting up in the chase, and it will be one that he would be in two minds about in hindsight now.
Afghanistan understood the difficulty in finding runs on the unpredictable pitch, and this inspired both Gurbaz and Zadran to take the attack to the Aussies in a timely and methodical manner.
The Afghan duo looked unstoppable and impenetrable, as Australia threw the kitchen sink at them hoping to find some luck and a wicket. But, nothing could faze them.
Gurbaz took on the role of the aggressor, coming in to pummel the Aussie bowlers for sixes and fours galore, while Zadran picked his spots to shine. But, where both batters combined to make magic was between the wickets, as hard running ensued at all times, ensuring that no run was left behind by the duo.
Cruising their way to respective fifties and a 118-run stand, it was finally Marcus Stoinis who found the breakthrough in the 16th over, to send Gurbaz out.
And well, the tide surely turned for Australia following the same, as the wickets continued to tumble in quick succession.
Adam Zampa came through in his last over of his spell, scalping both Omarzai and Zadran in the same over, as the leg-spinner ravaged through the top order.
Then, it was once again Mr. Death Overs, the Pat Cummins show yet again, as the ace pacer came through in fantastic fashion, to scalp another hattrick.
After getting rid of Rashid Khan with the last ball of the 18th over, the pacer came back in to remove both Gulbadin and Janat, in consecutive deliveries, to scalp his second hattrick of the T20 World Cup.
Finally, from what one foresaw as a mammoth total incoming when AFG were poised at 118/0 in the 16th over, Australia fought back hard to restrict them to 148 runs at the end of the 20 overs.
All hell broke loose for Australia with the bat, as Afghanistan unleashed the wily Naveen Ul-Haq out the gate.
The menacing pacer set the tone with just the third ball of the innings, absolutely bamboozling Travis Head as he castled the dangerman to send him back to the pavilion for a duck.
His onslaught would not stop there though, as the pacer would also remove Marsh in his next over, whilst Nabi would remove Warner shortly after as well, to leave the Aussies at a crippled 32-3 by the end of the powerplay.
Hope would be instilled in the form of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis though, as the duo would steady the innings yet again, putting up 37 more runs in the 4 overs after the powerplay, to wade the rough waters and settle Australia at 70/3 at the halfway mark.
Maxwell would take on the aggressor role, pummelling the Afghan spinners for boundaries at will, as the hard-hitter displayed glimpses of his historic innings against the opposition in the ODI World Cup from last year.
Just when it seemed like Australia regained control, in came Gulbadin, who would scalp a wicket each in consecutive overs, to add another twist in the tale of the game.
Down five wickets, Maxwell, who mustered up his fifty peppered with 6 fours and 3 sixes, was the man in control, but it was Gulbadin’s day to shine.
The pacer came back into the attack, and dismissed Maxwell for 59, aided by a stunner of a catch from Noor Ahmad, and went on to remove hattrick hero Cummins as well in his final over of his spell, to finish it off at 4/20 from 4 overs.
After that it was merely a matter of time till the chips all fell down, and they sure did, as Zampa and Agar fell shortly after, handing over Afghanistan their historic win.
Stay updated with the latest from T20 World Cup 2024. Explore T20 World Cup Match Today. Check Updated list of Highest-run getters and Highest Wicket-Takers In T20 World Cup 2024. Check T20 World Cup 2024 Points Table and players with the Most Sixes, Most Fours , Most Fifties And Most HundredsIn T20 World Cup 2024.