Afghanistan’s cricket team pulled off a stunning comeback in the 2024 T20 World Cup, defeating Australia by 21 runs at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St. Vincent. This victory not only boosted Afghanistan’s chances of advancing to the knockout stages but also served as a sweet revenge for their heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Afghanistan batted first and managed to post a total of 148/6 in 20 overs, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz top-scoring with 60 off 49 balls. Ibrahim Zadran chipped in with a respectable 51 off 48 deliveries, hitting six boundaries. Despite a clinical bowling display from Pat Cummins, who took his second successive T20 World Cup hat-trick, Afghanistan’s total proved to be sufficient to defend.
In response, Australia were bundled out for 127 in 19.2 overs, with Glenn Maxwell being the lone fighter, scoring 59 off 41 balls. Captain Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis were the other batters to reach double digits. Gulbadin Naib and Naveen-ul-Haq starred with the ball for Afghanistan, picking up four and three wickets respectively.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Via Rahmanullah Gurbaz/Twitter)
Fans on social media lauded Afghanistan’s victory, describing it as a momentous occasion for the country’s cricket. One fan wrote, “Afghanistan came close to defeating Australia twice in the last two World Cups, and now finally won against them. They have well and truly arrived at the big stage.” Another fan predicted that Afghanistan’s win would spark a new era of cricketing success for the country, saying, “AFGHANISTAN – THE SECOND BEST ASIAN TEAM… WITHOUT ANY DOUBTS.”
Player of the Match Gulbadin Naib echoed these sentiments, praising his teammates for their exceptional performance. He credited the opening batters for their excellence and his bowling partners for their efforts, saying, “This was a complete team effort. The way Naveen bowled, the way Gurbaz and Ibrahim batted. We beat Australia at last! It is a great achievement for Afghanistan cricket, our history isn’t too much so this is a great achievement.”
Afghanistan’s victory has put them in a strong position to advance to the knockout stages of the tournament, while Australia’s chances of reaching the last four are now in jeopardy. The team will next face Bangladesh in their last T20 World Cup Super-8 clash on Monday, June 24.
