T20 World Cup: Australia edge Afghanistan to stay in semi-final hunt but will be out if England beat Sri Lanka
England will qualify for T20 World Cup semi-finals if they beat Sri Lanka in Sydney on Saturday with Australia unable to significantly boost net run-rate after only recording narrow win over Afghanistan in Adelaide; hosts will be knocked out unless Sri Lanka or weather do them a favour
Friday 4 November 2022 17:15, UK
Australia edged Afghanistan by four runs to keep their T20 World Cup semi-final hopes alive - but are now relying on a favour from Sri Lanka or the weather to stop England qualifying in their place.
The defending champions' victory at Adelaide Oval - achieved after Rashid Khan's boundary-laden 48 not out from 23 balls had given them a tremendous scare - has lifted them into second spot in Group 1 on seven points, behind the now-qualified New Zealand.
However, Australia will be overtaken if England beat Sri Lanka in Sydney on Saturday and equal their points haul, with Jos Buttler's side's net run-rate (+0.547) superior to that of the hosts (-0.173).
Australia will advance if that game at the SCG is washed out and Sri Lanka and England share the two points, but the forecast looks clear at the moment so their best bet is Sri Lanka pulling off an upset.
Chasing 169, Afghanistan reached 99-2 after 13 overs but then lost three wickets in four balls - starting when Glenn Maxwell's direct hit from long-on ran out Gulbadin Naib (39) - and another five deliveries later to fall to 103-6 and seemingly slip out of contention.
Rashid's pyrotechnics, though, set up a pulsating finish and left his side needing 10 runs from two balls to force a Super Over, but he was only able to sky Marcus Stoinis' penultimate delivery for two before hauling the last for four as Afghanistan ended on 164-7.
The result eliminated Sri Lanka from semi-final contention but they could yet knock out England.
Australia win but fail to really hike run-rate
Australia made 168-8 after being inserted by Afghanistan - Maxwell (54no off 32) top-scoring for a side missing captain Aaron Finch and Tim David due to hamstring strains sustained during the 42-run win over Ireland on Monday.
David Warner (25 off 18 balls) was bowled in bizarre style after reversing his stance and attempting a right-handed cover drive, with Naveen-ul-Haq's off cutter sneaking past the inside edge.
Mitchell Marsh made 45 from 30 balls, clubbing three boundaries in a row off Gulbadin in the ninth over having been dropped off the same bowler on 19 by Najibullah Zadran at the start off the seventh.
In the run chase, Gulbadin bossed a third-wicket stand of 59 from 46 balls with Ibrahim Zadran (26) but the run out triggered a collapse of four wickets for four runs.
Ibrahim then top-edged Adam Zampa to short fine leg and Najibullah (0) skied the same bowler to long-off before Mohammad Nabi (1) - who stepped down as captain after the game - pulled Josh Hazlewood to deep square.
Rashid's power hitting threatened an upset - he nailed four sixes and three fours in total - but Australia held on and are now hoping for a Sri Lanka victory or a slew of rain in Sydney.
Watch England vs Sri Lanka, in Sydney, live on Sky Sports Cricket on Saturday. Build-up begins at 7.30am ahead of an 8am start.
