In a stunning turn of activities at the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024, Afghanistan clinched their spot in the semi-finals, thereby finishing Australia’s hopes in the event. This historic victory brought on a playful jab from Afghanistan’s batter, Najibullah Zadran, directed at Australian pacer Pat Cummins.
Following this memorable win, Najibullah Zadran, a pivotal player for Afghanistan, took to his social media take care of on X to supply a cheeky retort to Pat Cummins’ ambitious pre-event prediction. Cummins had hopefully said in an interview with CNBC-TV18, “Definitely Australia, other three you could pick out,” when requested to call his four semi-finalists for the 20-group match.
Zadran became this statement on its head, posting, “Q: How is the pinnacle four semi-finalist? A: sincerely Australia other 3 you select,” highlighting Afghanistan’s unexpected and remarkable overall performance.
The match started with Afghanistan triumphing the toss and opting to bat. The openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, gave a cautious start with scores of 43 and 18 respectively. However, the team struggled to preserve momentum thereafter. Contributions from Azmatullah Omarzai, who scored 10, and captain Rashid Khan, who remained unbeaten on 19, were considerable but insufficient to publish a commanding overall. Bangladesh’s bowlers, spearheaded by way of Rishad Hossain’s outstanding 3-wicket haul, managed to restriction Afghanistan to a modest 115/five in their 20 overs.
Weather interruptions caused a revised target for Bangladesh, putting them 114 runs to chase in 19 overs. The pursuit proved tough as Afghanistan’s bowlers, mainly Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq, each securing 4 wickets each, exerted relentless strain. Despite a valiant unbeaten 54 run knock by Litton Das, Bangladesh fell short while chasing the target.
This historic achievement, coupled with their earlier victory over Australia, highlights Afghanistan’s rise in international cricket. Their journey to the semi-finals is not just a evidence to their growing prowess but also to the unpredictable and exciting nature of T20 cricket. As they prepare to face South Africa in Trinidad, the world watches eagerly to see if Afghanistan can continue their fairy-tale run.
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