England begin T20 World Cup campaign with five-wicket win over Afghanistan; Sam Curran takes five wickets as Jos Buttler's men skittle opponents for 112 in Perth before stuttering in small chase; England next in action against Ireland at MCG on Wednesday (5am UK time)
Saturday 22 October 2022 18:53, UK
Sam Curran became the first England men's player to take a T20I five-for as his side began their T20 World Cup campaign with a five-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Perth.
The left-arm seamer (5-10) completed his five-wicket haul with the final scalp of the innings as Afghanistan were rolled for 112 in 19.4 overs after losing their final five wickets for three runs in 12 balls.
Curran, Ben Stokes (2-19) and express paceman Mark Wood (2-23) were crucial in stifling their opponents - Wood understood to have been the first bowler in T20 international history to bowl each of his 24 deliveries at over 140kmph.
England's fielding was also exceptional with a series of stunning grabs taken, including a diving effort from Liam Livingstone at deep point and a one-handed screamer from wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
A patient run chase was not without its stutters and England were reduced to 97-5 in the 16th over after losing captain Buttler (18), Alex Hales (19), Stokes (2), Dawid Malan (18) and Harry Brook (7).
However, Livingstone (29no) and Moeen Ali (8no) joined forces to steer the side to their target with 11 balls to spare - the winning run coming via a wide - and to a fifth straight success in completed T20Is.
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain said afterwards: "England would have liked to have been a little more clinical with the bat, factoring in run-rate and the fact there might be rain around in this tournament, but Afghanistan's spinners bowled really well in the middle overs."
England's dominance really began when Wood nicked off Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz (10) with his first ball of the match at the start of the third over.
Livingstone's catch accounted for Gurbaz's opening partner Hazratullah Zazai (7), before Moeen claimed a skier at cover to send top-scorer Ibrahim Zadran (32 off 32) on his way and Adil Rashid pouched excellently running towards long-on to remove Najibullah Zadran (13).
Buttler then put his name in the running for catch of the night as he flung himself to his left to dismiss Nabi after the Afghanistan skipper had clipped a short ball from the searing Wood down leg.
Curran, who had earlier been the bowler to dismiss Ibrahim with a slower delivery, returned at the death and triggered the astonishing late-innings collapse when Azmatullah Omarzai (8) hauled him to Stokes at deep midwicket from the fifth ball of the 18th over.
Curran was left on a hat-trick when he bounced out Rashid Khan for a golden duck next delivery, although he had to wait until Chris Woakes (1-14) had completed his over - one in which the Warwickshire man caught and bowled Mujeeb Ur Rahman first ball - before he had the chance to achieve that feat.
The hat-trick passed Curran by but he dismissed Usman Ghani (30) next ball as the batter sliced to Livingstone at backward point, before he made history and ended Afghanistan's innings two deliveries later when Fazalhaq Farooqi skewed low to Malan at point.
Curran's performance backed up some excellent displays during the recent 2-0 series win over Australia and fully vindicated England's decision to select him over Chris Jordan.
The batting wasn't blip-free with Hales dropped twice before being caught at deep square; Stokes bowled fourth ball after advancing to off-spinner Nabi; and an upset faintly possible when Malan was caught brilliantly by Nabi at cover and Brook slashed Khan to long-on.
But Buttler's men secured victory in the penultimate over as, unlike hosts and pre-event favourites Australia who were trounced by New Zealand, they got their tournament off to a winning start.
England's next match is against Ireland at the MCG on Wednesday (5am UK time), with Afghanistan in action against New Zealand at the same venue later on the same day (9am UK time).
Sky Sports Cricket's Nasser Hussain: "It was a real shock to English white-ball cricket losing Eoin Morgan as captain and then not winning a series at home in the summer.
"There was a bit of umming and ahing but they won in Pakistan and in Australia and have started well in the World Cup.
"Buttler has played it down a lot, saying England will be there or thereabouts and are a difficult side to beat, but other sides will be seeing them as one of the favourites, without a doubt."
England skipper Jos Buttler: "Coming into the tournament there's always a few nerves, there's a lot of anticipation and nervous energy so it is fantastic to get a win. Fielding is a huge part of this game and I thought it was a fantastic effort in the field from us.
"It felt like the ball swung early [in the chase] against a very talented bowling attack, it didn't feel easy and we were challenged. It could have been more fluent but I thought Afghanistan bowled well."
Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi: "It's not a good start, but we tried our best to play good cricket. We didn't put a good total on the board and everyone knows England are the best T20 team in the world.
"If you put a good total on the board we have quality spinners and good experience in Australia. We learn from this game and we hope we can improve in the next one."
