Australia vs Afghanistan Highlights, T20 World Cup: AUS beats AFG by four runs, stays alive in semifinal race

Australia now need Sri Lanka to beat England tomorrow in order to advance to the semis. If England win, they’ll go through. Sri Lanka can no longer reach the knockouts.

Stoinis to bowl the last over. Stoinis bowls a wide and the batters try to steal a bye. Wade misses the stumps at the keeper’s end but Stoinis takes down the stumps at the bowler’s end to catch Rasooli short of his crease. Rashid will be on strike though. Stoinis bowls a dot. Rashid hits a four next ball. He doesn’t run a single. Rashid pulls the fourth ball for six! Rashid takes 2 off the next. Rashid ends with a boundary. Australia scrape through by four runs. Rashid remains unbeaten on 48 off 23 balls.

Hazlewood bowls out. Rashid Khan collected a six and a four and Afghanistan need 22 off the last over. Terrific fightback from Rashid. 11 from the over.

Richardson ends with an expensive over, Rashid Khan getting stuck into him. Rashid finishes the over with two maximums, over deep mid-wicket and long-off. 16 from the over.

Cummins goes for eight in his last over including a four; Darwish Rasooli flat bats a slower ball over cover for four.

Kane Richardson is back into the attack. Six runs from the over. Afghanistan need 57 from 24.

Hazlewood gets Mohammad Nabi now. Afghanistan are imploding! Rashid Khan is at the crease. Five runs from the over.

Zampa is back for his fourth and gets a breakthrough. But the wicket belongs to Maxwell. The Aussie all-rounder gets a direct hit at the bowler’s end to catch Gulbadin Naib short of his crease. He goes for a 23-ball 39. Ibrahim Zadran is caught off the next ball! Najib Zadran is in next. GONE! Najib Zadran holes out off the fourth ball. Darwish Rasooli is the new man in. Three wickets from the over and just 2 runs.

Cummins has been summoned into action. Just two runs from the over, one each off the first and last balls and Naib off strike. Just what Australia want.

Richardson comes back into the attack and is straightaway put to the sword by Naib. He slams the fourth ball over cow corner for six before collecting four off the next ball. Ibrahim plays a lofted drive off the last ball for four. 17 from the over. Afghanistan need 73 from 48 balls.

Adam Zampa into his third over. 7 runs from the over. Excellent running between the wickets from Naib and Zadran.

Gulbadin Naib continues to go after the Australian attack. He smacks Green over midwicket for six before Ibrahim Zadran gets an outside edge to third man for four. Australia under immense pressure. 12 from the over. Afghanistan needs 97 from 60 balls.

Nine from the Adam Zampa over including a scorching drive from Gulbadin for over. Remember Australia needs to restrict Afghanistan to 106 or fewer to keep semifinal hopes alive.

Great over from Cam Green. Just one from it. Australia keeping the pressure but they need wickets.

Adam Zampa brought into the attack. He starts well with a three-run over.

Kane Richardson had a chance to make an impact off his first ball in this World Cup, but Cameron Green dropped a skier, running in from deep mid-wicket. Gurbaz gets a reprieve. But he runs out of lives as he is caught at mid-off, trying to clear the in-field. Gurbaz goes for 17-ball 30. Gulbadin Naib is in next. He is off the mark as an outside edge flies through the empty cordon for four. He ends the over with a three.

Marcus Stoinis bowls his first in the PowerPlay. He goes for nine including a wide. This start from Gurbaz is infuriating for Australia who need early wickets

Cummins concedes seven off his second over with a boundary off the last ball. Gurbaz is off the blocks in a jiffy.

Hazlewood gets Ghani off the third ball - good catch by Pat Cummins. Ibrahim Zadran is in next. It was a good over until Gurbaz swivelled a pull off the last ball for six.

Cummins shares the new ball. Gurbaz seemed to have hurt his shoulder. Here’s why. Off the second ball, Ghani took off for a brisk one as the ball dribbled towards square leg. Cummins chased it and and side-footed the ball into the stumps... there was contact between the bowler and Gurbaz, but the latter was in. The physio had a look at Gurbaz and decided he is fit to continue. Just 5 from the Cummins over.

Hazlewood started well with three dots before Gurbaz had a slash at a full, outswinging ball and the thick outside edge raced away for four. Gurbaz finished the over with a gorgeous pick-up shot for six.

Australia will look to attack from the get-go, with their bowling and fielding. Australia must restrict Afghanistan to 106 or fewer to keep their semifinal hopes alive. Usman Ghani and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to start the chase. Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball.

New Zealand have now officially qualified for the semifinals. Australia cannot beat Afghanistan by 185.

Maxwell gets to a 29-ball 50 with a boundary off the third ball. Fazalhaq Farooqi is bowling the last ball. He closes it out with a four off the last ball. Nine from the over. Maxwell finishes unbeaten on 32-ball 54. Naveen-ul-Haq took 3 for 21. Australia needs to restrict Afghanistan to 106 to move ahead of England’s NRR.

Naveen gets rid of Cummins, thanks to a brilliant sliding catch by Rashid Khan, who came running in from deep point. Kane Richardson is the new man in. He will take a single and get Maxi on strike. Maxwell’s not getting the big hits he is looking for. Afghanistan have been excellent at the death so far. Meanwhile, Richardson is run out off the last ball, at the non-striker’s end.

Maxwell goes after Fazalhaq Farooqi; hits the first ball for six over deep midwicket. He gets a single next ball. Wade works the next ball to the on side and gets Maxwell back on strike. Fazalhaq castles Wade with an inch-perfect yorker! He falls for an eight-ball six. Pat Cummins is the new man in. Excellent from the left-armer. Nine runs and a wicket.

Naveen is back into the attack. He will look to take pace off. Maxwell takes a single second ball. Very good over from Naveen. Only three from it. Wade struggling to time the ball.

Stoinis gets stuck into Rashid. He pulls his first ball for six. GONE! Stoinis has been caught off the third ball. Matthew Wade is at the crease. Wade reverse sweeps Rashid for four to get off the mark. 10 off the over.

Gulbadin Naib continues to go for runs. Maxwell welcomes him into the attack with a pull for a big six first ball. That was also Maxi’s 400th six in T20 cricket! He collects four more, off the fifth ball, with a lofted drive over cover. 12 from the over, which ends with a dot.

There’s an appeal for lbw against Stoinis off the bowling of Rashid. Not given. Afghanistan review. But the impact is outside off. Maxwell reverse-sweeps the second ball for four. The batters ran a bye off the first ball, off which the review was taken. Nine from this Rashid over.

Mujeeb comes back into the attack. Maxwell greets him with a flick off the pads for four. Australians take 10 from the over.

Mohammad Nabi comes into the attack. Stoinis targets the short square boundaries with a slog sweep for a massive six. He follows it up with a brace. He gets a single off the fourth ball. Maxwell slaps the fifth ball through covers for four. Single to finish. 14 from it.

OUT! Marsh goes for a sweep off Mujeeb, gets a top edge and the ‘keeper takes this skier. Maxwell comes in and gets off the mark with a couple.

Rashid bowls his second inside the first 10. He is parsimonious as always. Five from the 10th over.

Gulbadin Naib comes back for his second over and is taken to the cleaners by Mitch Marsh, who begins by clubbing a 84-metre six before following it up with consecutive fours. 16 from the over.

Here’s Rashid, on cue. He has one slip for Marsh, who sweeps the first ball for a couple. Five singles off the next five as Rashid concedes seven from his first, bit of a rebuilding phase for the Aussies.

Gulbadin Naib could’ve had a wicket off the first ball but Najibullah Zadran drops a sitter at point. Marsh gets a reprieve. Marcus Stoinis has walked out to the middle. Excellent from Naib. Just three from it. Afghanistan have held back Rashid Khan.

Naveen strikes! Warner has been clean bowled trying to play a switch hit! He has been undone by the offcutter. Steve Smith in next. He opens his World Cup account with a well placed cut for four. But his stay is cut short as he is adjudged lbw off the last ball! He reviews after a word with Marsh. Three reds and Smith’s a goner. Australia lose a review. What an over. 5 runs and 2 wickets.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is welcomed back into the attack with a slog sweep for a 74-metre long six by Mitch Marsh. Five singles to end the over. 11 from it.

Naveen-ul-Haq bowls inside the first six. Marsh slashes the third ball over backward point for four. Marsh collects two off the next ball before Warner once again displays his exceptional agility and fitness by converting a two into three off the penultimate ball. 11 from Naveen’s first over.

Cameron Green helps a rising ball to slips, Fazalhaq Farooqi strikes. Not what Australia wanted. Mitchell Marsh is in at 3. Slip in place. Five runs and a wicket from that over. Warner pulled the penultimate ball to the midwicket fence.

PowerPlay specialist Mujeeb Ur Rahman shares the new ball. Green collects three off the first ball, thanks largely to Warner’s exceptional running between the wickets. Warner reverse-laps the next ball over deep backward point for four. He follows it up with a pull past fine leg for four more. The third four comes courtesy a sweep over short fine. 16 from the over.

Fazalhaq got the new ball to shape away from Warner, who got a boundary through covers off the third ball. Warner followed it up with a brace. Just 6 from the over.

Cameron Green and David Warner march out to the middle. They need a powerful start from their openers. Fazalhaq Farooqi with the new ball. Warner on strike.

Toss update: Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field

Australia (Playing XI): Cameron Green, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade(w/c), Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Afghanistan (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Darwish Rasooli, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Aaron Finch has been ruled out of tonight’s match. Matthew Wade to lead vs Afghanistan. Cameron Green to replace Finch in all likelihood.

Simon Doull on air says Aaron Finch and Tim David are doubtful starters. Matthew Wade would be Australia’s most likely captain if Finch doesn’t play. It’s a very important game for the host. If Australia wins, margin notwithstanding, and Sri Lanka beats England tomorrow, Australia will advance. But if England wins tomorrow, then Australia will need a big victory to leave England behind on Net Run Rate.

New Zealand has beaten Ireland by 35 runs to stay top of Group 1. Ireland was 68 for no loss in the 186 chase before spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi pulled the Kiwis back with a flurry of wickets.

“The reality is that our first game has put us in this situation. We knew for the rest of the tournament that it was going to come down to run rate should things go well. But also there are still two other games to be played in the pool. So first and foremost, we need to get the two points.”

Australia captain Aaron Finch

“It’s really not an easy game for us to play against Australia in Australian conditions, but we are here to give them a tough time.”

Afghanistan assistant coach Rais Ahmadzai

Predicted 11: Aaron Finch (c)/Cameron Green, David Warner, Mitch Marsh/Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David/Steve Smith, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

Predicted 11: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Usman Ghani, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi (c), Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Australia sits on the brink of exit as it faces Afghanistan at the Adelaide Oval on Friday. Heading into the game, the focus for Aaron Finch’s men will be on winning big. However, the fact remains that despite Australia’s efforts, its future is beyond its control, and Saturday’s match between England and Sri Lanka will play the deciding role in who progresses to the knockout stage from the group.