Dropped the World Cup: Australia knocked out after eight hour-wait and controversial Afghanistan win
Australia is heading home from the T20 World Cup elimination after a heavy loss to India and Afghanistan’s thrilling win over Bangladesh, despite some significant controversy. BEN HORNE reports.
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Australia has been sensationally knocked out of the World Cup by an Afghanistan bowler who was instructed by Ashes nemesis Jonathan Trott to fake injury and deliberately sabotage them.
With Australia needing Bangladesh to beat Afghanistan to progress to a World Cup semi-final date against South Africa in Trinidad, one of the most dramatic T20 matches of all time played out in between frequent rain delays in St Vincent.
In extraordinary and controversial scenes, Bangladesh was two runs behind the required run rate they needed to win on DLS and advance Australia to the semis when Afghanistan coach Trott signalled to his players on the field to take a dive and slow down the match as rain fell.
Gulbadin Naib obliged at first slip and collapsed to the ground claiming a hamstring injury in scenes so ridiculous not even the FIFA World Cup could replicate.
The tactic worked temporarily as rain stopped play. That was until the covers came off and play resumed, and the allegedly injured Naib miraculously recovered from his faked hamstring injury to bowl Afghanistan to victory in one of the most memorable T20 matches ever played.
Brilliant captain Rashid Khan, who took two wickets in successive balls in the 11th over, was the hero for Afghanistan. The Big Bash superstar also visibly condemned Trott’s underhanded tactics during the match-turning moment.
It was an appalling look and not something Afghanistan needed to resort to for a famous and historic moment.
All eyes will be on the ICC to see whether they punish Naib for faking injury. Playing conditions dictate that umpires, if they believe an act of time wasting was deliberate, can lodge a report under the ICC Code of Conduct.
Rashid was asked after play about the sabotage attempt involving his coach Trott and Naib. He stopped short of publicly condemning it but hinted at his disappointment.
“Well, mentally we were always (thinking) we have to play 20 overs and take 10 wickets,” he said.
“There’s no other way we can beat (them) ... He had some cramp, hopefully he’ll be alright but that wicket that he has given to us was a massive wicket for us.”
Bowled out for 105, an agonising eight runs short on DLS, Bangladesh almost saved Australia.
Bangladesh needed 22 to win when Naib was called into the attack and dismissed Tanzim Hasan Sakib to leave the Tigers eight down.
The Tigers, led by opener Litton Das (54 not out off 49 balls), weren’t done yet.
But with nine runs needed from nine balls - and Australian players watching from their team hotel in St Lucia barely unable to look - Afghanistan quick Naveen-ul-Haq induced a bottom edge from Bangladeshi tail ender Taskin Ahmed onto his stumps.
The very next ball, Naveen trapped No.11 Mustafizur Rahman plumb lbw to seal Australia’s exit from the competition.
The scenes from Afghanistan were pure emotion.
It was a bizarre and enthralling game of cricket where Afghanistan choked under the pressure of the situation, only managing 5-115 from their 20 overs.
Rashid Khan’s three sixes at the death for a score of 19 not out was absolutely critical, otherwise Afghanistan’s total would have been puny.
Rashid was so desperate for victory he at one point literally threw his bat in anger at a batting partner who declined a second run which would have got him back on strike.
Bangladesh were in the weird twilight zone of being a legitimate chance to win within 12.1 overs and advance themselves to an unlikely semi-final berth, but those hopes were dashed by Rashid’s haul of 4-23.
Dropped chances cruel Australia’s World Cup
Despite the drama, Australia have no one to blame but themselves.
Their hopes of claiming a Triple Crown of World Cups were destroyed by another drop-catch horror show in their crushing 24-run loss to India earlier in the day.
Captain Mitchell Marsh put down an absolute soda which gifted Hardik Pandya a life on 4, and India’s late-over showman smashed an unbeaten 27 off 17 which ultimately proved the difference between the two teams.
David Warner’s international career is now officially over after the back-to-back losses to India and Afghanistan. Warner was out in the first over.
Australia felt 190 was a par score on the true St Lucia wicket. India likely would not have put the match out of reach with a monster total of 5-205 had Marsh held the simplest of grabs off the bowling of Adam Zampa in the 17th over, when India was 4-167 on a pitch which wasn’t easy to start on.
Travis Head threw everything at anchoring a stunning run chase with his brilliant 76 off 43 balls almost cancelling out Rohit Sharma’s bulldozing 92 off 41, but in the end Australia fell 24 runs short, and the embarrassing fielding performance this tournament is to blame.
Australia dropped six catches against Scotland (including three from Marsh), five in the shock loss to Afghanistan – derailment which has ultimately derailed them – and then Marsh’s critical blunder against India – to finish the Super 8s with the lowest catch efficiency of any team.
It’s arguably Australia’s worst ever fielding performance, certainly in a World Cup.
“It hasn’t been good enough,” Josh Hazlewood said of the catching after finishing with figures of 1-14 as the only bowler not taken to the cleaners by Rohit’s record-breaking blitzkrieg.
“I’m not sure what you can put it down to.
“The guys are always working as hard as ever on their fielding at training but there might not be as many opportunities to work on it at these tournaments.
“You’re always travelling and playing. But it hasn’t been good enough for the last few games in particular.”
India’s catching in contrast was spectacular, particularly a stunning one-handed aerial grab by Axar Patel a few steps in from the boundary rope to dismiss Marsh (37 off 28) at a time when Australia was putting themselves in the ideal position to pull off a run-chase for the ages.
Head said Australia’s fielding woes snowballed from the poor showing against Scotland at the end of the group stage.
“When you set such a high standard and you keep that standard for a long period of time there’s always going to be dips in performance. That’s no different than bat and ball,” Head said.
Head counter-attacked brilliantly and had Australia well positioned at the halfway mark but the back-to-back losses of Glenn Maxwell (20 off 12) and Stoinis (2 off 4) in the 14th and 15th overs put the clamps on Australia and it unravelled from there as they lost seven wickets.
Aussies on cusp of World Cup disaster after thumping from India
Australia is on the cusp of being eliminated from the T20 World Cup after a crushing loss to India – with a Bangladesh cricketing miracle later this morning their only hope of survival.
If Bangladesh can upset Afghanistan, Australia could still squeeze through on net run rate, but as it stands Mitchell Marsh’s side are licking its wounds, with their dreams of achieving a Triple Crown of World Cups seemingly up in smoke.
David Warner’s sparkling international career has in all likelihood come to an abrupt end, with Travis Head’s stoic 76 off 43 not enough to rein in India’s mammoth target of 206, which was powered by an extraordinary innings of 92 off 41 from their captain Rohit Sharma.
Australia threw everything at what would have been a record chase, with Marsh (37 off 28) and Glenn Maxwell (20 off 12) keeping them in the fight until a flurry of middle-over wickets killed their chances and they lost by 24 runs.
Ultimately, Australia only have themselves to blame if they make a meek early exit, due to what will probably go down as their worst ever fielding performance in a World Cup.
Five dropped catches and multiple misfields was responsible for a shock loss to Afghanistan, a derailment from which Australia never recovered.
Even against India, Australia cost themselves 23 desperately crucial runs at the death when Marsh put down an absolute sitter to gift dangerman Hardik Pandya a life on 4.
Highlighting Australia’s deplorable catching efficiency in this tournament was the fact India’s brilliant fieldsmen held onto just about every chance that came their way – with Axar Patel’s one-handed effort just in from the rope to dismiss Marsh the catch of the World Cup.
Australia did at least cover the net run rate needed to ensure that a Bangladesh boilover against Afghanistan later this morning AEST will save their bacon.
However, that is only a slim chance, given Bangladesh have been hammered in all their Super 8s matches and Afghanistan are coming off the high of knocking off Australia.
The other irony would be that if Bangladesh beat Afghanistan by more than 62 runs they would get through ahead of Australia and Afghanistan.
This was essentially a do-or-die battle for Australia in St Lucia, and it got off to the worst possible start when Rohit slaughtered Mitchell Starc for 29 runs, including four sixes.
Australia never recovered from the brutal barrage which just kept coming, as Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis all copped punishment.
Josh Hazlewood’s tidy 1-14 was the only defence Australia had to Rohit whose 19-ball 50 was the fastest ever against Australia in T20s and his eight sixes also a record.
It was revenge of sorts for Rohit who was embarrassed by Australia’s bulldozing ODI World Cup final win in Ahmedabad late last year.
Head threatened to repeat the dose for India as he built up towards another incredible match-winning knock, but hope was lost when Maxwell and Stoinis departed in the 14th and 15th overs.
It was Head who dismissed Rohit with a spectacular catch in that ODI final, but this time it was Rohit’s safe hands which sent the South Australian back to the sheds.
Head has had a magnificent tournament again for Australia as its highest run-scorer, but when it mattered he didn’t get enough support.
Warner was out in the first over in what could be his last international knock given he retires at the end of this World Cup from international cricket.
It would be a disappointing end, but Warner goes down as Australia’s greatest ever all-format batsman and arguably its greatest ever T20 cricketer.
There is no question Australia has copped the most farcical draw of any team this tournament and the tiredness brought on by being forced to hop from three islands in four days and switch from a late-finishing night game to an early starting morning match against India took its toll.
It showed in Australia’s sluggish start as Rohit swung at everything and struck at over 500 for balls bowled in the slot.
Re-live the action below!
Re-live the action below!
3:38AM MAXWELL BOWLED AS INDIA STRIKE KEY BLOW IN WORLD CUP EPIC
Kuldeep Yadav has stood up just when India needed him to clean bowl Glenn Maxwell had a critical juncture in Australia’s hunt for World Cup survival.
Maxwell was powering at 20 off 12 before a wrong-un went straight through him as he walked forward out of his crease to the spinner.
The next over Marcus Stoinis followed Maxwell into the sheds after a brilliant close-in catch from Hardik Pandya.
India have taken two incredible grabs in the field which has highlighted the damage caused by Mitchell Marsh dropping a sitter in the first innings - ironically to give Pandya a life.
Travis Head is keeping Australia in the hunt with another signature innings against India with Australia 4-136 during the 15th over.
Head has been superb with 63 not out off 33 balls.
Australia are chasing 206 to win in St Lucia.
Lose and they will be eliminated from the World Cup.
Indian master Jasprit Bumrah still has to overs left to bowl.
3:19AM MARSH FALLS TO BLINDER, BUT AUSTRALIA STAY IN THE FIGHT
Mitchell Marsh has fallen to the catch of the tournament from Indian Axar Patel but the captain has smashed Australia into a competitive position in their chase of 206 to try and stay alive in this World Cup.
Marsh was leading from the front with 37 off 28 before he hit the cover off a Kuldeep Yadav delivery - only he hit it slightly too flat.
Patel was in off the rope but jumped at just the right moment and held onto a one-handed stunner.
It was a blow to Australia, but Travis Head continued to bludgen his way to 54 not out off 26 balls to power his side to 2-99 at the halfway mark of the chase.
At the same point, India was 2-114, but Australia is around the run-rate they need to pull off what would be an unbelievable clutch victory.
If Australia lose against India they will be knocked out of the World Cup.
3:01AM MARSH, HEAD RALLY AFTER EARLY LOSS OF WARNER
Australia’s captain Mitchell Marsh is leading from the front as his side fights to keep its World Cup alive.
Elimination awaits if Australia fail to chase down 206 to beat India, and the Aussies were in early strife after David Warner departed in the first over.
It will be Warner’s final international innings unless Australia can rally and pull off the biggest chase of the tournament.
But Marsh (31 not out off 18) and Travis Head (26 not out off 12) are giving Australia hope after hammering their way to 1-65 after the six over power play.
At the same point, India was 1-60.
The challenge for Australia will be maintaining the rage for the entire innings.
Marsh and Head took the last over of the power play for 17.
2:38AM DAVID WARNER OUT, MAYBE FOR THE LAST TIME PLAYING FOR AUSTRALIA
Australian great David Warner’s international career might be over, after he was dismissed early in pursuit of 206 to win.
India will knock Australia out of the World Cup in St Lucia unless the batting order can stand up and deliver one of the all-time run-chases.
Warner smashed a boundary but was out first over in the chase.
The left-handed all-format superstar is retiring after this World Cup tournament.
2.21AM AUSTRALIA MUST PRODUCE ALL-TIME CHASE AFTER ROHIT BLITZ
Australia is staring down the barrel of World Cup elimination unless it can produce a run-chase for the ages in St Lucia.
Rohit Sharma completely destroyed the Australian attack (with the exception of Josh Hazlewood 1-14) to post 92 off 41 - one of the most destructive T20 innings ever seen in World Cup cricket.
Australia’s shocking fielding in this tournament also reared its ugly head again, with captain Mitchell Marsh dropping an absolute sitter that helped India power past 200 to post 5-205.
David Warner could be playing his last ever innings for Australia unless he can help inspire what would be the biggest successful chase of this tournament.
Mitchell Starc finished with two wickets, including that of Rohit’s, but not before Sharma pummelled him for 29 runs in the third over.
Marcus Stoinis (2-56) was also taken to the cleaners and Marsh was forced to bowl him in the penultimate over because of the damage control that had be staged earlier in the innings when Rohit was slaughtering everything to the fence.
Marsh dropped Hardik Pandya when he was on 4 off the bowling of Adam Zampa in the 17th over, and Hardik made the Aussies pay a dear price as he took down Stoinis in the second last to finish with a key 27 off 17 unbeaten.
2:15AM MARSH DROPS ANOTHER SITTER AS INDIA EYE MASSIVE SCORE
Australia’s woeful fielding in this tournament has continued, with captain Mitchell Marsh dropping another sitter.
Marsh dropped three catches against Scotland earlier in the tournament, but none more costly than putting down Indian dangerman Hardik Pandya on just 4.
A short time later Hardik had made Australia pay when he smashed Marcus Stoinis for back-to-back sixes in the penultimate over to be 25 not out off 14.
Near the death India are 5-194.
Australia’s catch efficiency is the worst of any team in this World Cup Super 8s.
Mitchell Starc fought back from being punished by Rohit Sharma (92 off 41) to bowl the Indian captain and also get Suryakumar Yadav.
With the exception of Josh Hazlewood, Australia’s bowlers have been punished.
Australia must win to stay alive in the World Cup.
1:41AM ROHIT SHARMA BLITZ FINALLY OVER
The Rohit Sharma destruction derby has finally come to an end, out for a magnificent 92 off 41 balls.
It’s an innings that threatens to knock Australia out of the World Cup.
Rohit’s blitz started when he took 29 off Mitchell Starc’s second over.
Starc eventually got his man bowled when he came back for the 12th over, but at 3-131 it may be too little too late.
Rohit hammered eight sixes and seven fours, dispatching Australia’s bowlers to every corner of the ground.
Wind was meant to be a factor in this match, but Rohit’s hitting took it out of play.
The powerful right-hander smashed 50 of India’s first 52 runs for the innings and his 19-ball half century was the fastest ever recorded against Australia in T20s.
1.31AM AUSTRALIA’S WORLD CUP SURVIVAL HANGING BY A THREAD
India is 2-114 at the halfway mark of their innings, thanks to an all-time performance from captain Rohit Sharma.
The powerful right-hander is 89 not out off 37 balls and has nailed a record eight sixes and seven fours.
To balls bowled in the slot by Australia this innings, Rohit is striking at a staggering 500.
Mitchell Starc’s 29-ball third over was the worst of the damage, but Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis are also going the journey in an unrelenting blitzkrieg.
Unless Australia can peg it back they could be bracing for an ominous chase in a match they must win to survive in the World Cup.
1.20AM ROHIT DESTROYING AUSTRALIA, BUT STOINIS GETS PANT
Rohit Sharma is on an absolute tear against Australia, and is a staggering 76 not out off 29 balls.
The Indian captain is getting payback for last year’s ODI World Cup defeat at the hands of Australia and is hitting everything and everyone out of the ground.
Marcus Stoinis was also going the journey in the eighth over, with Rohit taking him for two of the record eight sixes he has already smashed.
But Stoinis at least pegged one back by getting fellow dangerman Rishabh Pant caught for 15.
India is 2-94 inside nine overs and are destined for a massive score in a match Australia must win to stay alive in the World Cup.
12:54AM RAIN TEMPORARILY SALVAGES AUS FROM ROHIT ONSLAUGHT
Australia has gained a temporary reprieve from an absolute rampage from Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who has slaughtered five sixes in his first 14 balls faced.
India has raced to 1-43 in the fifth over, with Rohit putting on a masterclass to be 41 not out off 14 balls.
The rain momentarily halted his momentum, with the covers coming on for a passing shower, but as soon as they came on, they have been removed again and play should resume shortly.
Mitchell Starc was hammered for four sixes and a total of 29 from the third over of the match.
Then Rohit took Pat Cummins for a massive slog sweep onto the roof of the grandstand - the 100th six of Rohit’s career.
Josh Hazlewood has kept things tight at the other end and dismissed Virat Kohli.
12:46AM ROHIT GOES ON BLITZKRIEG AGAINST STARC
The Indian captain hit back with the perfect reply to Virat Kohli’s early dismissal, completely slaughtering Mitchell Starc in the third over of the match.
Starc was hammered for four sixes and a four in the over, giving up a massive 29 runs.
It is Starc’s most expensive ever over in T20 cricket.
Starc got too full and was punished for two sixes over cover, then one with the wind over mid-wicket, and a final full toss was put back over the slips.
12:38AM HAZLEWOOD GETS KOHLI SECOND OVER
Josh Hazlewood has struck in the second over in St Lucia, getting India dangerman Virat Kohli caught in the deep.
Australia’s catching was shocking in the last game against Afghanistan, but Tim David took a brilliant catch running back towards the rope.
Kohli attempted to pull Hazlewood’s bouncer for six, but the ball held up in the strong breeze in a lesson to all other batsmen for the day.
It is the dream start for Australia in a match they must win to stay alive in the tournament.
India is 1-6 after two overs, with Mitchell Starc bowling a very tight first over as well.
12:04AM STARC BACK, AUSTRALIA CHOOSE TO BOWL FIRST ON A BELTER
Mitchell Marsh has chosen to bowl first after winning the toss for Australia’s do-or-die battle against India in St Lucia.
The ‘big three’ are back together again and spinner Ashton Agar has been forced to make way.
There is a huge breeze blowing on the island which will be critical for scoring in a match Australia must win to stay alive in this World Cup.
Australia were criticised for bowling first in their shock loss to Afghanistan, but they have stuck to their guns and again want to chase to survive against India.
11:40PM STARC WARMING UP FOR WORLD CUP COMEBACK
Controversially omitted from Australia’s last-start loss to Afghanistan, the greatest World Cup wicket-taker of all time Mitchell Starc appears primed to return to face India in St Lucia.
Australia must win to stay alive in the tournament.
The teams won’t be confirmed until the toss, but signs are pointing towards the ‘big three’ being reunited.
Starc is warming up and is expected to return to face the might of India.
The weather clouds are holding off and the atmosphere is building at the Daren Sammy Stadium.
PREVIEW
- Jacob Kuriype
A combination of dour weather and an Indian superstar stand between Australia and spot in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.
Following their shock loss to Afghanistan, it’s all-but do-or-die for Australia on Tuesday (12:30am) when they face India in their final game of the Super Eight stage at St Lucia.
Worryingly for Australia, showers are forecast for the match. If they were to split the points from a washout, they would be eliminated if Afghanistan win their game against Bangladesh later that day.
The Indians are one of just two teams in the tournament yet to suffer a defeat – South Africa were faultless at the time of writing – and talismanic quick Jasprit Bumrah has been at the centre of their success.
With 10 wickets at an average of 6.5 and an economy of 3.42, Bumrah is the T20 World Cup’s most valuable active bowler.
If you put those two numbers together, Bumrah’s 9.92 is head and shoulders the best of any bowler still in the tournament, clear of Afghanistan’s Gulbadin Naib (11.32).
The Afghani quick is the only active bowler in the tournament with a better average (5.66) but Bumrah has him covered for wickets – 10 to six – while also boasting a tournament best economy.
Among the bowlers (minimum one wicket) still in the tournament, only Afghanistan’s Gulbadin Naib boasts a better average (six wickets at 5.66). None boast a better economy either, with South Africa’s Ottneil Bartman the next best, and a full 1.52 runs per over worse (4.94).
Coming off back-to-back hat-tricks, Pat Cummins is Australia’s best performer by the average + economy metric (17.06).
TEAMS
Australia (possible): David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
India (possible): Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
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