Maximum Sri Lanka lost 6 wickets in the first 10 overs against India. The same trend continued in this tournament as well. Australia lost 4 wickets in the first 10 overs. Naveen Ul Haq, who replaced Farooqui, took the wickets of both Head and Mitchell Marsh. Head edged and caught by the keeper. Marsh, who was threatening to hit fast boundaries, was left lbw by an incoming delivery with an extra wrist bend by Naveen-ul-Haq. It didn’t even get a Marsh review.
That was a clear out. The 9th over was a thunderbolt for Australia who maintained the run rate close to 6. On the next ball of that over, Omarzai bowled Warner and Ingles was amazing. The game just started to turn towards Afghanistan. A tension could be seen in the body language of the Australian players. Afghanistan’s fielding was also charming as was the bowling. Labuchen was run out on a direct hit. Stoinis was made lbw by Rashid Khan.
Afghanistan were 91-7. Just when Afghans thought victory was assured, Maxwell started an improbable innings as a single man. Maxwell left captain Pat Cummins standing at one end and spun all the Afghan bowlers. Spinner and fast bowler without distinction. Cummins’ job was to rotate the strike and give it to Maxwell without conceding a wicket.
