Key events
WICKET! Afghanistan 93-5 (Nabi c Najmul b Taskin 1)
Taskin Ahmed gets his reward for what has been a fine and fiery spell. The Bangladesh quick has enjoyed digging the ball in short, Mohammad Nabi tries to cut one that drifts a touch wider but a top edge takes it high for a simple catch at mid-off.
17th over: Afghanistan 93-4 (Janat 4, Nabi 1) Two wickets in an over has put Bangladesh firmly on top. Their young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain finishes with 3-26, even as Karim Janat clatters the last ball of the over through cover for four.
WICKET! Afghanistan 89-4 (Naib c Soumya b Rishad 4)
Soumya Sarkar takes a brilliant catch and it is his second in the over. Naib looks to lift the run-rate but gets a leading edge, ballooning the ball over cover. Souyma comes flying off the boundary and makes up plenty of ground to get two hands under the ball and ensure Bangladesh are on top.
WICKET! Afghanistan 88-3 (Gurbaz c Soumya b Rishad 43)
Bangladesh get the wicket they would have wanted as Gurbaz holds out in the deep. The opener had been tied down since drinks and looked to finally unleash but can’t get enough on it. He departs after scoring 43 from 55 balls.
16th over: Afghanistan 88-2 (Gurbaz 43, Naib 4) CHAOS! Gurbaz starts the over cutting and sets off straight away until Rishad dives to gather the ball and have a ping at the stumps. The Afghanistan batters are stuck at the same end but the fielder backing up misfields and even after more confusion they somehow find a single. But Mustafizur makes amends with a top edge off Omarzai. Gulbadin Naib comes to the crease with Afghanistan needing him to repeat his heroics from two days ago, just this time with the bat, and he plunders his first ball faced straight down the ground for four.
WICKET! Afghanistan 84-2 (Omarzai c Das b Mustafizur 10)
A feint edge gets the breakthrough after keeper Litton Das seems to be the only fielder to hear it. Omarzai tries to cut away a wide one but misses, the umpire knocks back the appeal and it goes upstairs as replays show there was the slightest of touches off the bat. Afghanistan might not mind that though, as they need some heavy hitters at the crease.
15th over: Afghanistan 80-1 (Gurbaz 40, Omarzai 9) Another chance goes begging as Omarzai gets a leading edge and the ball sails just wide of Shakib. The veteran barely had time to throw an arm out after completing his delivery stride, that was a tough one to take.
14th over: Afghanistan 75-1 (Gurbaz 39, Omarzai 5) CHANCE! Rishad has switched ends and Omarzai looks to turn the tables off the first delivery, swinging hard but only slicing the ball sky-high. A Bangladesh fielder comes flying off the boundary at deep cover, dives forward at full speed but can’t quite get hands to the ball. The pressure is all on Afghanistan, at least until Gurbaz finds the first boundary for 39 deliveries through point. The opener ends the over with another four when finding a gap with a sweep.
13th over: Afghanistan 62-1 (Gurbaz 29, Omarzai 2) Shakib takes the ball from Rashid as Bangladesh refuse to let the Afghanistan batters settle. The veteran is keeping a straight line and cramping up the batters, but Omarzai finds the first run in 13 deliveries with a dab to long-off.
12th over: Afghanistan 59-1 (Gurbaz 28, Omarzai 0) Maiden! Taskin Ahmed returns to turn the screws on Afghanistan, as Gurbaz plays with a watchful eye and the Bangladesh fielders are scampering around to keep the opener on strike. Afghanistan have only scored 1-1 since the drinks break.
11th over: Afghanistan 59-1 (Gurbaz 28, Omarzai 0) One almost brings two as Rishad beats Ibrahim with flight and dip, then almost has Azmatullah Omarzai out stumped a couple of balls later. A sublime delivery dips and turns to beat the outside edge, Litton Das collects and quickly lifts the bails but the new batter has just kept his foot grounded behind the line.
WICKET! Afghanistan 59-1 (Ibrahim c Tanzim b Rishad 18)
The leg-spinner breaks up Afghanistan’s formidable opening pair and once again it comes in the over immediately after drinks. Ibrahim looks to hit Rishad down the ground but the turn takes the ball away from him and the shot is sliced high into the air. Tanzim has to make up plenty of ground at deep long off but takes a fine catch while keeping his feet.
10th over: Afghanistan 58-0 (Gurbaz 27, Ibrahim 18) Mustafizur takes the ball as Bangladesh swing the changes looking for a prized wicket before the drinks break. The pacer sends down a tidy over but without getting the crucial breakthrough. Bangladesh have restricted the flow of runs but the missed chance from Hridoy already feels costly as Afghanistan will carry all 10 wickets into the second half of their innings with the match evenly poised.
9th over: Afghanistan 54-0 (Gurbaz 25, Ibrahim 16) Another 50-run stand for the Afghanistan opening pair, their fourth for the tournament – that is now the most ever recorded by the same batters in a single men’s T20 World Cup. Young leg-spinner Rishad Hossain comes into the attack for Bangladesh but Gurbaz is in cruise control now, working the ball through midwicket for two then finding a gap in the same area to bring up the fifty.
8th over: Afghanistan 47-0 (Gurbaz 22, Ibrahim 15) Bangladesh are letting Afghanistan off the hook here as the openers find ones and twos without having to take too many risks. Tanzim loses his length and digs in a bouncer that hits the deck mid-pitch, sailing over Gurbaz and the keeper for five wides. The batters are having a big say in turning the match though, with their blazing running between wickets putting the fielders under as much pressure as the bowlers. Ominous signs for Bangladesh – and Australia – at the moment!
7th over: Afghanistan 36-0 (Gurbaz 19, Ibrahim 12) SIX! Gurbaz clobbers the first maximum of the match, dancing down the pitch and hitting Shakib back over his head. The Bangladesh veteran threw that one up and it was duly dispatched, far from the ideal end to a tidy over that had only allowed the Afghanistan openers to dab a few singles.
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6th over: Afghanistan 27-0 (Gurbaz 12, Ibrahim 10) The opening pair are crucially still at the crease but this is Afghanistan’s lowest score through the powerplay as they make a cautious start with eyes on a bigger prize. Mustafizur Rahman starts with a neat over, five dot balls but is punished for the one looser delivery that Gurbaz pulls away for four.
5th over: Afghanistan 23-0 (Gurbaz 8, Ibrahim 10) DROPPED! That will hurt for Australia as much as Bangladesh.
Shakib Al Hasan comes into the attack and almost has an immediate impact, but Towhid Hridoy can’t hold onto the smoking hot chance. Ibrahim steps onto the back foot to smack a forehand through the covers, the shot flies straight to Hridoy standing at about short cover mostly looking to save a single, but it quickly bounces in and out of his hands.
Will Afghanistan make Bangladesh pay for sloppy fielding, just as they did to Australia a couple of days ago?
4th over: Afghanistan 21-0 (Gurbaz 7, Ibrahim 9) Another tasty over from Taskin, hitting the deck hard, beating the bat but failing to get the much-needed breakthrough for Bangladesh. Gurbaz steps down the pitch and swings wildly but gets nowhere near a shorter ball, not sure Taskin saw him coming though. Some fast and furious running between wickets helps the openers pick up a pair of twos, as they patiently build the innings.
3rd over: Afghanistan 16-0 (Gurbaz 3, Ibrahim 8) Ibrahim clatters the first boundary of the innings, lifting a good length ball in the air but safely through cover. A bouncer from Tanzim has plenty of pace but pitches a touch too short and sails over both Ibrahim and the keeper for four byes.
2nd over: Afghanistan 5-0 (Gurbaz 3, Ibrahim 1) A ripping over from Taskin Ahmed! The pacer digs it in a touch short and finds movement off the pitch, beats the bat a couple of times and lets out a frustrated scream. A slower ball gets through Ibrahim and bounces off keeper Litton Das’ pads to end a thrilling over.
1st over: Afghanistan 3-0 (Gurbaz 2, Ibrahim 1) Almost the perfect start for Bangladesh (and Australia)! Gurbaz plays tip-and-run off the first ball and only a desperate dive gets him home at the non striker’s end. The umpire sent it upstairs for a quick review but Gurbaz is quick and had his horizontal bat well across the crease as the bails were raised. Just as they did when setting up their 118-run stand against Australia two days ago, the opening pair are content biding their time through the opening over. A misfield releases some of the pressure and allows Ibrahim off strike.
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran make their way to the crease after a 118-run stand that set up the stirring win over Australia.
Much of this match will ride on how the pair of in-form 22 year olds perform today, but it is Tanzim Hasan Sakib that has the ball in his hands and looking to have his own say for Bangladesh. Game on!
Bangladesh XI
Litton Das (wk), Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt), Towhid Hridoy, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Soumya Sarkar, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman.
Two changes for Bangladesh – fiery quick Taskin Ahmed returns with Soumya Sarkar also getting his shot.
Afghanistan XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Nangeyalia Kharote, Rashid Khan (capt), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
No need to mess with a winning formula, as Afghanistan back in the same XI that were so impressive in their historic victory over Australia two days ago.
Afghanistan win the toss and elect to bat
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has little hesitation in batting first at a ground that has seen all four matches at this tournament won by the side doing just that.
Najmul Hossain Shanto seems happy to lose the toss, saying that Bangladesh were planning to bowl first anyway. No shame in now saying that either way.
Australia now need a huge slice of good fortune to keep their T20 World Cup hopes alive after falling 24 runs short of India’s 205-5 in St Lucia earlier today.
India opener Rohit Sharma clobbered 92 from 41 balls to set up the win, though Travis Head (76) and captain Mitch Marsh (37) gave Australia some chance of reaching their target until they lost 54-5 and staggered to 181-7.
Read the full report:
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to the OBO live coverage of the crunch clash between Afghanistan and Bangladesh at the 2024 T20 World Cup that will have major repercussions for Australia.
This is the last match of the Super Eight stage and the ICC could hardly have scripted it better. Both Afghanistan and Bangladesh are playing to join India in progressing from Group 1 to the semi-finals, while Australia will be watching on hoping the result falls their way to snatch the last spot even after back-to-back defeats.
The pathway to the knockout stage is clearest for Afghanistan after their historic victory over Australia. Another win for Rashid Khan’s side today – by any margin – would see Afghanistan book their ticket to take on South Africa in the knockout stages.
Australia’s 24-run defeat by India earlier today/overnight means their hopes are now out of their hands, but they could still progress with Bangladesh beating Afghanistan within a relatively large window of results.
Assuming a first innings total of 140 today, for Australia to qualify they would need Bangladesh batting first to win by fewer than 62 runs; or for Bangladesh batting second to chase down the same target in more than 12.4 overs.
The equation flips around for Bangladesh to claim the semi-final spot – bat first and win by 62 or more runs, bat second and reach a 141-run target in fewer than 12.4 overs.
India are already set to face England in the second semi-final in Providence on Thursday, while South Africa’s opponent for the semi-final in Tarouba on Wednesday will be decided within about four hours.
Play starts at Arnos Vale Ground in St Vincent at 8:30pm, or 10:30am AEST and 1:30am BST.
The toss and team news is coming shortly – but now is an ideal time to email your thoughts or get in touch on X @martinpegan.
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