Australia’s T20 World Cup hopes in tatters after historic loss to minnows

Australia have suffered a shock 21-run defeat to Afghanistan, putting their semi-final hopes at the Twenty20 World Cup in jeopardy.

Australia’s first-ever defeat to Afghanistan came after openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (60 off 49 balls) and Ibrahim Zadran (51 off 48) braved a devilish St Vincent wicket for a 118-run stand – the largest ever opening partnership against Australia in T20s.

With his second hat-trick in as many games, in-form pacer Pat Cummins (3-28) helped Australia pull away and restrict Afghanistan to 6-148 on Sunday (AEST).

But in the hunt for 149, Australia were caught off guard by the difficult conditions and fell to 3-32 late in the powerplay as the Afghan pacers began a dominant stay at the crease.

It was Australia’s first ever defeat to Afghanistan in the sport across all formats

Glenn Maxwell (59 off 41) played himself back into form with the bat and threatened to reprise his role as Afghanistan’s bogeyman after a double century at the ODI World Cup last year.

But Afghanistan could smell victory when all-rounder player-of-the-match Gulbadin Naib (4-20) fired back to face Noor Ahmad with a difficult chance in the 15th over.

Australia were all out for 127 in the final but were faced with sloppy fielding and a slow start with the bat.

The loss means Australia can rely on net run-rate to reach the last four, even if they can beat India in their final Super Eight match on Tuesday (AEST).

Afghanistan’s historic win keeps their own hopes of a fairytale semi-final spot alive ahead of their third Super Eight match against Bangladesh.

After winning the toss, Australia missed five chances, the first two of which came during the thrilling opening score.

With Gurbaz and Zadran wreaking havoc, Matthew Wade missed an easy stumping chance and Australia twice leaked four after misfields from Ashton Agar – called for Mitch Starc.

After squandering an earlier chance, Marcus Stoinis (1-19) had a long-awaited breakthrough when Gurbaz picked out David Warner with deep back square leg.

The Aussies will rue some sloppy fielding and a slow start with the bat

The defeat means Australia can rely on net run-rate to reach the last four even if they can beat India in their next match

When that scalp finally came – in the 16th over – it was the longest Australia had gone in a T20I without taking a wicket.

Australia’s two best frontline bowlers this tournament, Adam Zampa (2-28) and Cummins, ensured Afghanistan’s batting order never got back into gear after the opening partnership was broken.

Cummins became the first player to score hat-tricks in consecutive T20 matches when Gulbadin (0) pulled him to Maxwell at deep midwicket in the final over.

He could have had another scalp on the next ball if the usually reliable Warner Nangeyalia had kept Kharote at deep point.

Naveen-ul-Haq (3-20) confirmed the decision to start Afghanistan’s innings with pace, swinging the ball into Travis Head’s middle stump on the third ball of the evening.

The losses of Head (0) and Mitch Marsh (12) inside three overs raised the alarm, and Australia were officially in panic mode as Afghanistan injected spin for the first time.

David Warner (three) skied Mohammad Nabi (1-1) to short leg on the off-spinner’s first delivery, paving the way for Maxwell to chase Afghanistan again.

But when the all-rounder’s courageous knock came to an end, Australia were in the bowlers and limped to the finish at 6-106.

With Australia needing 24 runs from the final over, Azmatullah Omarzai sealed the victory when Zampa hit it long-on to Nabi with four balls to spare.