Afghanistan made history by achieving their first-ever win against Australia in international cricket. They won by 21 runs in an important T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match, which took place at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, St Vincent. This victory was particularly significant as it ended Afghanistan’s losing streak against Australia, which included four ODIs and one T20I.
This win was crucial for Afghanistan as it kept their tournament hopes alive. It also kept Bangladesh’s chances intact, despite their recent 50-run loss to India. However, India’s progress to the semi-finals will now be delayed.
In the match, Afghanistan batted first and managed to score a respectable total of 148 for 6. The strong start was thanks to an impressive 118-run opening partnership between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, which lasted for 15.5 overs. This was their third century partnership in the tournament, following similar efforts against Uganda and New Zealand.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who is the leading run-scorer in the tournament, scored 60 runs off 49 balls, hitting 4 fours and 4 sixes. His partner, Ibrahim Zadran, made 51 runs off 48 balls with 6 boundaries. The partnership was eventually broken by Marcus Stoinis, who dismissed Gurbaz and helped Australia regain some control over the game.
After this strong start, Afghanistan’s batting lineup struggled. They lost wickets quickly and were unable to increase the scoring rate in the final overs, which prevented them from posting an even higher total. Nonetheless, their bowlers performed well enough to defend the score and secure a memorable victory.
This historic win not only highlighted Afghanistan’s growing prowess in cricket but also kept the excitement of the T20 World Cup 2024 alive, with multiple teams still vying for a spot in the semi-finals.
