In a remarkable T20 World Cup 2024 clash, Afghanistan secured a historic victory against Australia, with seamer Naveen ul Haq playing a pivotal role. The match, held at Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown, saw Afghanistan triumph by 21 runs, marking their first-ever win against Australia in international cricket.
Following this landmark victory, Afghan pacer Naveen ul Haq took to Instagram with a thought-provoking post that captured fans’ attention. The 24-year-old shared an image contrasting the support he received during challenging times with the flood of congratulatory messages following his match-winning performance. This post resonated with many, highlighting the fickle nature of public support in sports.
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The game began with Afghanistan batting first after losing the toss. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provided a solid foundation, scoring 60 and 51 runs, respectively. However, the middle-order struggled to build on this start, with only Mohammad Nabi and Karim Janat reaching double figures.
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Afghanistan posted a total of 148 runs, with Australian captain Pat Cummins claiming three wickets, including his second consecutive hat-trick in the tournament—a historic feat. Australia’s chase started disastrously, losing openers Travis Head and David Warner cheaply. Despite a valiant 59-run effort from Glenn Maxwell, the former champions’ batting lineup crumbled under the relentless pressure from Afghanistan’s bowlers.
Gulbadin Naib was the standout performer, taking four wickets, while Naveen ul Haq’s crucial spell of 3/20 in four overs, including the key dismissals of Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Ashton Agar, played a significant role in restricting Australia to 127 all-out.
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This victory has significant implications for both teams in the T20 World Cup. For Afghanistan, it keeps their semi-final hopes alive as they head into their last Super Eight match against Bangladesh. Conversely, Australia now finds itself on the brink of elimination, with their final Super Eight fixture against the formidable Indian team.
