England vs Afghanistan (ENG vs AFG) Highlights: Sam Curran’s five-for dismantled Afghanistan as England notched a five-wicket win in their opening T20 World Cup match on Saturday. Curran sizzled with a five-wicket haul, giving away only 10 runs, while Ben Stokes (2/19) and Mark Wood (2/23) picked two wickets apiece to bundle out Afghanistan for 112. Defending a modest total, the Afghans made a game out of it but England eventually completed the task in 18.1 overs
England XI: Jos Buttler(wk/c), Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood.
Afghanistan XI: Mohammad Nabi(c), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
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A wide ball from Azmatullah and that’s GAME OVER! ENG: 113/5 after 18.1 overs. England win by 5 wickets and start their World Cup campaign with a win. Afghanistan will be probably impressed by how deep they took this game.
Victory to start our #T20WorldCup campaign! 💪
Next stop, Melbourne 🏟
Scorecard: https://t.co/g9Y8iaOHeT pic.twitter.com/6nTck6F8C6
Rashid Khan picks up the wicket of Harry Brook who went for the big hit but is caught at long-on. Afghanistan look a totally different team when the spinners are bowling. If only Afghanistan had gotten another 30 runs, how different things might be. Score after 16 overs, ENG: 100/5
David is gone as Nabi takes a stunner. Malan’s struggle is over as he departs for 18 off 30 balls. Mujeeb Ur Rahman picks up the wicket. Is there a twist in the tale? Score after 14 overs, ENG: 81/4
کیچ لے کے میچ جیتو#ENGVAFG pic.twitter.com/K5SnelY0Pb
Stunning decision from Aleem Dar#AFGvsENG #ENGvsAFG #ENGvAFG #AFGvENG #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ehOnAQEms3
First Fareed Ahmad snares Alex Hales and then Nabi cleans bowls Ben Stokes. Will ENG recover or can AFG manage an upset tonight? Score after 11 overs, ENG: 66/3
A reserved start by England, they are 40/1 at the end of the powerplay. They need 73 runs off 84 balls. Score after 6 overs, ENG: 40/1
A wicket at last for the Afghans. Fazalhaq Farooqi strikes and gets the big fish! Buttler is out-caught by Mujeeb! He departs for a run-a-ball 18. Score after 5 overs, ENG: 35/1
Fazalhaq Farooqi bowls a short one to Hales, who cuts it but is dropped by Qais at backward point! The next ball is smashed for a six, over long-on!
Buttler and Hales are at the crease. Buttler is on strike. Fazalhaq Farooqi will open the attack and a boundary to begin with. Buttler’s off the mark with a flick down the leg. Score after 1 over, ENG: 5/0
Mark Wood was at his fiery best.
Sam Curran picks up the last wicket and England have bundled out Afghanistan for 112 runs. Curran becomes the first England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is.
Best figures for England in T20Is-
5/10 Sam Curran vs Afg Perth 2022
4/2 Adil Rashid vs WI Dubai 2021
4/6 Chris Jordan vs WI Bassetere 2019
4/7 David Willey vs WI Bassetere 2019
Mujeeb departs for 0 c&b Woakes. Make that 8 down. England are bossing this game. Absolutely outstanding from the Three Lions with the ball and in the field today. Score after 19 overs, AFG: 112/8
Another fiery delivery from Mark Wood and Nabi tries to move away but only gets a glove to it. Buttler is brilliant behind the stumps.Score after 16 overs, AFG: 97/5
Adil Rashid runs back to hold on to a great catch. Najibullah Zadran departs as Ben Stokes picks up another wicket. England on top !
A memorable opening day of Round 2
Another fantastic catch, this time by Adil Rashid#AFGvsENG #ENGvsAFG #ENGvAFG #AFGvENG #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/j4E47MMcRs
A productive last over for AFG as they smash 13 off Adil Rashid’s over. Can Ghani and Zadran get AFG to a good total? Score after 13 overs, AFG: 78/3
Sam Curran removes Ibrahim Zadran for 32. Afghanistan needs to accelerate to score a big total. Score after 12 overs, AFG: 65/3
10 overs done and Afghanistan are 55/2. The England supporters in Perth are enjoying this one.
Outstanding catch by Liam Livingstone! Ben Stokes removes Hazratullah Zazai for 7. Score after 7 overs, AFG: 37/2
This #T20WorldCup is all about stunners! 😳#ENGvAFG | #AUSvNZ #RohitSharma | #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/l52sAq6ASB
Mark Wood, right-arm fast, comes into the attack and picks up a wicket off his first ball. Gurbaz is gone for 10 as he gives an easy catch to the wicketkeeper. Score after 3 overs, AFG: 15/1
Hazratullah Zazai and Gurbaz are at the crease. Hazratullah Zazai is on strike. Stokes will open the attack. After a quiet first over, it’s a six! Rahmanullah Gurbaz flicks Woakes over short fine for a maximum. Score after 2 overs, AFG: 11/0
Stopping England’s Jos Buttler could be key for Afghanistan
England are without Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy and more recently Reece Topley, all out because of injuries but have shored up the team with the additions such as Alex Hales, Ben Stokes, Sam Curran and Phil Salt. Afghanistan, interestingly are coached by former England batsman Jonathan Trott. (Read More)
