Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

Ibrahim Zadran
Ibrahim Zadran
32(32) 3x4 - 1x6
Control %61%
  • Productive Shot
  • square drive
  • 6 runs
  • 1x4 - 0x6
6 7 0 2 12 0 3 2
Usman Ghani
Usman Ghani
30(30) 3x4 - 0x6
Control %73%
  • Productive Shot
  • pull
  • 15 runs
  • 2x4 - 0x6
1 8 2 1 5 0 3 10

Best performances - Bowlers

SM Curran
SM Curran
O3.4
M0
R10
W5
Eco2.72
RHB
OFFLEG
1W
1W
1W
2W
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
BA Stokes
BA Stokes
O4
M0
R19
W2
Eco4.75
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
1W
1W

Scorer: @Thilak_Rama | Commentator: @himanshu_a30

A game which could have gone either way only if there were another 20 more runs to play with. England got half a scare against spin in the middle overs, something they will be mindful of with Sri Lanka also in their group. Afghanistan look good already, and will want more from their batters in the games to come. Until then, it is goodnight and goodbye from us. See you tomorrow!

Jos Buttler, the winning captain: "Coming into the tournament, there were a few nerves. To get out there and get a win was fantastic. There were [fantastic catches]! I thought it was a fantastic effort. I enjoyed that [his own catch]. Mark Wood is always fun to keep wicket to... It is very vital to have someone who can bowl at that express pace. He is a great asset. [Sam Curran] has got a great character for death-bowling. We know it's a really tough period of the game to bowl in. It goes against you... Felt like the ball swung early. We were challenged, and felt like we had to pay respects to the bowlers. Could have been more fluent, but full credit to Afghanistan"

Mohammad Nabi, the Afghanistan captain: "Good start to the tournament... We didn't put up a good score. England is the best T20 team in the world, and recently they played good cricket against Australia and Pakistan. Boys played really well. [There were] two or three good catches; we thought 145 would be a good total to fight. This is our plan: put a good total on the board. We have good spinners - me, Rashid and Mujeeb - who play the Big Bash here. We'll learn and we hope we improve in the next game"

Sam Curran is the Player of the Match for his 5 for 10: "We saw the way the Afghanistan team made it quite tricky towards the end. They have world-class spinners... You've seen in the qualifying groups, with the West Indies missing out that any teams can... Hopefully we can keep playing with confidence and keep winning. To come here and start with a win is great. Ireland will be another tricky game. I was just trying to be as adaptable as possible. Trying to get better in different phases of the game. Really enjoying my cricket at the moment"

Stick with us for the presentations

Wasif: "This is the group of death, England might rue their slower chase later in the tournament"

10.08pm So a low-scoring entertainer in Perth follows a high-scoring one-sided game in Sydney. Who knew what would have been had Afghanistan even scored 130? The pitch always looked pacy, and thus challenging for them, even as they ensured they didn't let England have it easy. A bit of a middle-order collapse did shake England up, as Nabi, Mujeeb and co did their bit to try and defend a small score. But Livingstone hung around, and ensured Curran's five-for didn't go in vain.

18.2
1w
Azmatullah Omarzai to Ali, 1 wide, another short ball, which is on middle. Moeen lets it go, and it is called wide. Woah, some way to win it. England won't mind though. They bag two points even if it was done with some tremors

Scores level

Tinura: "At least Afghans could reduce the damage to their NRR..."

18.1
1
Azmatullah Omarzai to Livingstone, 1 run, a roaring pull to long leg. Dances down, as he swings at this short ball heading down leg

Just 2 to win. Omarzai has the ball

END OF OVER:
18 | 7 Runs | ENG: 111/5 (2 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.16, RRR: 1.00)

  • Moeen Ali8 (10b)
  • Liam Livingstone28 (20b)
  • Mohammad Nabi3-0-16-1
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi4-0-24-1
17.6
2
Mohammad Nabi to Ali, 2 runs, goes swinging across the line to this full ball on middle, and gets this off the inside half of the bat to fine leg
17.5
0
Mohammad Nabi to Ali, no run, short again, and drifting in to end just outside off. Pushed to cover
17.4
0
Mohammad Nabi to Ali, no run, darts in to end on his pads off a good length. Moeen misses his flick

Adnan: "Last 3 overs of Afg innings costing them the match here."

17.3
2
Mohammad Nabi to Ali, 2 runs, Moeen gets one short and wide, and slaps that wide of deep point

A six to win this one?

England 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st35AD HalesJC Buttler
2nd17DJ MalanAD Hales
3rd13DJ MalanBA Stokes
4th16DJ MalanLS Livingstone
5th16LS LivingstoneHC Brook
6th16MM AliLS Livingstone

ICC Men's T20 World Cup

First Round Group A
TeamMWLPTNRR
SL32140.667
NED3214-0.162
NAM31220.73
UAE3122-1.235
First Round Group B
TeamMWLPTNRR
ZIM32140.2
IRE32140.105
SCOT31220.304
WI3122-0.563
Group 1
TeamMWLPTNRR
NZ53172.113
ENG53170.473
AUS5317-0.173
SL5234-0.422
IRE5133-1.615
AFG5032-0.571
Group 2
TeamMWLPTNRR
IND54181.319
PAK53261.028
SA52250.874
NED5234-0.849
BAN5234-1.176
ZIM5133-1.138