Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign is in jeopardy after the 2021 champions suffered a historic loss to Afghanistan in Kingstown on Sunday AEST.
Chasing a 149-target for victory at Arnos Vale Ground, Australia was rolled for 127 in 19.2 overs after Afghanistan quicks Gulbadin Naib and Naveen-ul-Haq wreaked havoc with the Kookaburra.
“They outplayed us, they deserved to win that game,” Australian captain Mitchell Marsh told reporters during the post-match press conference.
“You’ve got to give credit where credit’s due, Afghanistan were pretty good.
“They have improved a hell of a lot over the last few years. We know certainly in these conditions that they are a big danger team.
“They play a high-energy brand of cricket and as I said, I think they’re a very good cricket side.”
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The Australians only have 36 hours to dust themselves off before Tuesday’s crucial Super Eight clash against India in St Lucia, where even victory may not be enough to qualify for the semi-finals.
“First things first, we’ve got to recover,” Marsh continued.
“We have a lot of belief in our group. We are a very good cricket team.
“Tonight we had an off night, but I guess there’s also a positive in the fact that in 36 hours we go again.
“If you look back at the short history of this team, I know for a fact that it brings out the best in our guys, so the boys will certainly be up and about for it.
“It’s all about trusting ourselves. We’ve got a good bunch of people and I believe our best is up there with the best.”
Australia will face India at Gros Islet’s Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on Tuesday morning, with the first ball scheduled for 12.30am AEST.
Cummins jags ANOTHER World Cup hat-trick | 00:51
STARC GAMBLE BACKFIRES
The decision to drop Mitchell Starc for Australia’s T20 World Cup match against Afghanistan backfired on Tuesday, with the left-hander’s absence sorely missed at Arnos Vale Ground.
Speaking at the toss, Australian captain Marsh confirmed the decision to omit Starc was “conditions based” — spin bowlers had averaged 13.18 at the St Vincent venue in the tournament before this weekend’s clash, with Australia preferring the services of tweaker Ashton Agar.
Starc is the most prolific wicket-taker in World Cup history, claiming 95 scalps at 21.11 since 2012. Despite conceding more runs than his fellow quicks, the left-armer compensates by producing lethal inswinging yorkers during the Powerplay.
And when Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran combined for a 118-run partnership in Kingstown, the decision to drop Starc appeared to have misfired.
Agar was Australia’s most economical bowler against Afghanistan, finishing with 0-17 from four overs including a maiden during the Powerplay. However, the left-armer had a horror evening in the field, fumbling two balls over the boundary rope and dropping a high chance in the penultimate over.
The West Australian, considered by many to be an all-rounder, was then dismissed for 2 (5) during the run chase after picking out cover while facing Afghanistan quick Naveen-ul-Haq.
Speaking to reporters in the post-match press conference, Marsh defended the decision to leave out Starc, who has taken three wickets in the tournament at 36.33 with an economy rate of 7.78.
“Starcy’s unlucky in a sense,” Marsh said.
“But we’ve said right from the start of the tournament that we’ve got 15 guys here, and we’ll pick a team that we think can win us the game in those certain conditions.
“Everything pointed towards Ash tonight and I thought he did a brilliant job. Four overs, one for. He was outstanding.
“The reality is when you’ve got this much talent, someone’s always unlucky to miss out.
“I don’t think the game was won or lost in the Powerplay tonight.”
CATCHES WIN MATCHES
Australia officially has the worst catching record of the T20 World Cup.
After putting down five chances during Tuesday’s loss to Afghanistan, the team’s catching efficiency slipped to 70 per cent, the lowest of any nation in the tournament.
It comes after Australia dropped six chances during last week’s group-stage match against Scotland in Saint Lucia.
“We had an off night in the field,” Marsh confessed.
“We don’t want to have too many off nights in the field, but I also believe at our best we’re an unbelievable fielding side.
“We certainly pride ourselves on our fielding, and can’t question the boys put in the work, it’s no different to any other skill set.
“We put in the work, we didn’t execute in the field tonight and ultimately it played a part in us losing the game.”
Lowest catching efficiency at the T20 World Cup
70 per cent — Australia
81 per cent — Afghanistan
83 per cent — India
85 per cent — Bangladesh
85 per cent — West Indies
Fielding woes hamper Aussies early | 00:53
Catching wasn’t Australia’s only cause for concern in the field — wicketkeeper Matthew Wade botched a stumping chance, Travis Head gifted an extra run after fumbling an overthrow, while three boundaries came from sloppy misfields near the rope.
David Warner, Ashton Agar and Head each dropped regulation catches during the death overs, while Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa both missed one-handed chances that could have changed the outcome of the game.
“Fielding is important, it plays a massive role,” Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan said during the post-match press conference.
“In T20 especially, a short format where you make those small mistakes, it is really hard for you to come back.
“In an ODI, yes, you have 50 overs where you can have the comeback, but in T20 you don’t have any space where you can come back into the game.”
COIN FLIP REGRET
Even before the first ball of Sunday’s match in Kingstown, the commentators were questioning Mitchell Marsh’s decision to bowl first against Afghanistan.
The previous three matches at Arnos Vale Ground during the T20 World Cup were won by the team that batted first, while eight of Australia’s nine most recent losses in the game’s shortest format occurred when chasing.
However, after the coin landed in his favour, Marsh sent Afghanistan in to bat, a decision he may have reconsidered with the benefit of hindsight.
“A lot of teams have bowled first through this tournament,” Marsh said when questioned about the decision.
“I don’t think it was won or loss at the toss tonight.”
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan admitted he would have batted first if he had won the toss, so both teams got what they wanted from the coin flip.
Phenomenal fielding sends Aussie stars | 00:41
MAXWELL CAN’T REPEAT MUMBAI MIRACLE
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan confessed to having sleepless nights after last year’s World Cup contest against Australia at Wankhede Stadium — also known as Glenn Maxwell’s Mumbai miracle.
Australia was reeling at 7-91 in pursuit of a 292-run target before the Victorian smacked a record-breaking 201* from 128 balls to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, combining with captain Pat Cummins for an unbeaten 202-run partnership for the eighth wicket.
And on Tuesday, Maxwell was threatening to repeat his heroics.
After losing a cluster of early wickets at Arnos Vale Ground, Maxwell launched into another counterattack, racing towards a half-century in 35 deliveries.
During last year’s World Cup epic, Maxwell was gifted an early reprieve on 33 when Mujeeb Ur Rahman dropped a regulation chance at short fine leg — but Afghanistan weren’t making the same mistake this time.
In the 15th over, Maxwell carved a wide delivery from seamer Gulbadin Naib towards backward point, where Noor Ahmad held onto a superb low chance.
The dismissal proved a turning point in the match — Maxwell’s dismissal sparked a collapse of 5-21, with Australia never recovering.
Maxwell scored 59, while no other Australian managed more than 12. Afghanistan had finally exorcised the ghosts of Mumbai
“I can sleep better now,” Khan laughed in the post-match press conference.
“The game kept coming into my mind. It was 90 plus per cent we were in the game, and Maxi the way he played that night took the game away from us.
“Definitely I didn’t sleep the whole night, but I feel like tonight, because of the happiness I won’t be able to sleep.”
SKIPPER’S WORRYING FORM
Glenn Maxwell’s return to form was a lone highlight for Australia during Tuesday’s run chase, with attention shifting towards Mitchell Marsh’s worrying slump.
The Australian captain has 88 runs at 17.60 in six innings during the T20 World Cup with a high score of 35, achieved against England during the group stage.
Marsh has not survived more than nine deliveries in his three most recent knocks, while his tournament strike rate of 111.39 is the lowest among Australia’s recognised batters.
The West Australian has only reached fifty once in his 12 most recent T20I innings, dating back to September last year.
“Something we speak about as a batting unit is just having impact,” Marsh told reporters on Sunday.
“When the scores are a bit lower, it sometimes looks and feels a bit different.
“I haven’t actually got going yet in this tournament, but for me, I mean for everyone, it’s about staying true to our preparation. “
We play a lot of cricket back-to-back, it’s all about recovery and moving on pretty quickly to the next game.”