World Cup 2019, Afghanistan vs Australia Live Cricket Score: Afghanistan clash with Australia in their first match.
World Cup 2019, Afghanistan vs Australia Highlights: Australia have defeated Afghanistan by 7 wickets in their first match of World Cup 2019 in Bristol on Saturday. David Warner (89*) and Aaron Finch (66) got the chase off to a great start. Hamid Hassan was the most impressive Afghan bowler on display early on, but the chase was always on at well above the required run rate. Finch holed out in the deep to Gulbadin Naib in the 17th over, but by then Australia were well on course for victory. Usman Khawaja (15) and Steve Smith (18) joined Warner in the middle as the defending champions cantered to victory with 15.1 overs to spare.
In the first innings, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins gave Australia the perfect start. Afghanistan lost both their openers very early. Starc bowled Mohammad Shahzad for a duck and Cummins got Hazratullah Zazai caught behind for a duck. Rahmat Shah (43) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (18) rebuilt the Afghanistan innings after those early blows. Zampa struck in his first over to break the partnership, getting Shahidi’s wicket. Rahmat Shah, who was looking set for a big score, fell to a brilliant diving catch by Steve Smith. Smith’s throw also ran out Mohammad Nabi (7) soon after, as Afghanistan lost their fifth wicket. Gulbadin Naib (31) and Najibullah Zadran (51) put on a 83-run sixth wicket partnership. Rashid Khan (27) came up with an entertaining cameo to take the Afghanistan total beyond 200. Their innings wrapped up in the 39th over, at a score of 207. This is the highest total by an Asian side at this World Cup so far.
Afghanistan
207 (38.2)Australia
209/3 (34.5)Australia beat Afghanistan by 7 wickets
Steve Smith is cleaned up by Mujeeb, giving just enough time for Glenn Maxwell to come in. Has to face just one ball though, which he smashes for four. Australia win by 7 wickets with 15.1 overs to spare. Brave performance from Afghanistan and plenty of positives, but unfortunately no points to show.
Smith's first boundary of this World Cup is a 'well played' outside edge. No slips in place and that rolls past the keeper for four runs.
Warner now on 79. Australia need 20 more runs to win.
Smith and Warner seem to be in no hurry. They are moving along the score comfortably and confidently. Writing is on the wall for Afghanistan. Despite all their bravery, all they can do now is to just delay the inevitable. Their running between wickets is so good as well. Completing the runs almost before the field can react. Australia need 37 more runs. 21 overs still to go.
Khawaja is given out LBW. Steve Smith joins Warner in the middle, fist pump between them. Will be fitting if these two can take this match to its end from here on. Australia need just 50 more runs, almost half of the innings still left.
Warner brings up his 18th ODI fifty and his second World Cup fifty. What a return to international cricket! Some boos and lots of cheers heard around the ground. Not his most fluent innings, but you can see the resolve writ clearly on his face and in his body language. One has to wonder though - what if Shahzad had been quicker with the stumping opportunity earlier in his innings? Khawaja doing well to complement Warner in this partnership. Rashid Khan not finding much joy against them either.
Warner was content to play second fiddle as long as Finch was taking the initiative. Upping his ante now.
Afghanistan skipper Naib gets the wicket of Australia skipper Finch. Finch goes for 66, caught by Mujeeb ur Rahman in the deep. Looks disappointed as he walks off, but surely he has done enough for today. Usman Khawaja has come in at No. 3.
Rashid Khan is brought on. Finch brings up his half-century. Hits a big six (83 metres) off the very next ball.
Finch's last five ODI innings before today:
53
39
90
153*
116
Aaron Finch and David Warner have added 58 for the opening wicket. They now need another 150 to win. Naib is smashed by Finch. The captain hits his third six of the innings. Moves on to 45. Warner still on 19. Not every day that we seen Warner being outscored by his partner.
Skipper brings himself on. Third seamer of the innings. Rashid Khan still to bowl today, of course. But then he is usually not bowled in the powerplay overs. If only Afghanistan played out their 50 overs, Rashid might have had more to work with. Nabi bowling the 11th over. Former skipper and current skipper bowling in tandem.
Hamid Hassan has Finch in all kinds of trouble in the sixth over. Gets ball to go through his gate to the keeper and then raps him on his hips. No reward for him so far though. However, Hamid Hassan is the first bowler to bowl two maidens to David Warner in a one-day international.
Finch and Warner making a statement of Australia's intent early on. Run rate has been consistently above 6.
Hamid Hassan can think himself unlucky. Got an edge off Warner's bat that could have been easily taken at second slip. There is only one slip in place for Afghanistan though. At this stage, Australia had three slips in place. After that ball, a second slip is brought in for Afghanistan.
Dawlat Zadran is brought on to replace Mujeeb. Pace from both ends now. 24 runs off the 29 runs that have been scored in these first four overs have come off Mujeeb's bowling so far. Dawlat starts off with a no ball though. Warner gratefully smashed the next ball, a free hit, down the ground.
First six of the innings! Finch stands and delivers. Smashes Mujeeb out of the park again. Afghanistan will have to rethink this strategy of opening the bowling with Mujeeb.
Aaron Finch is taking strike for Australia. David Warner his opening partner. Spinner Mujeeb ur Rahman to start proceedings with the new ball. Ready for the chase!
Finch smashes Mujeeb for two consecutive boundaries in the very first over. Both teams looking aggressive from the onset.
Hamid 'Rambo' Hassan is bowling from the other end. Gets the ball to go past Warner's bat to the keeper on a couple of occasions.
Most dismissals by a keeper on World Cup debut
6 - Sarfaraz Ahmed vs RSA, 2015
5 - Jimmy Adams vs Kenya, 1996
5 - Alex Carey vs AFG, TODAY
Mujeeb ur Rahman is bowled. Mujeeb also looking to not hold back. Steps away from his stumps, tries to smash Cummins to the heavens, but Cummins has too much pace for him to handle. Afghanistan put up 207 in 38.2 overs. Australia need 208 to win.
Rashid Khan is given out LBW after a very entertaining 11-ball 27. Some lusty blows by him has taken the Afghanistan total beyond 200 though. AFG - 205/9 after 37.3 overs
Mujeeb following Rashid Khan's example. Hits a four and a six in one over off Pat Cummins. These two not looking like they want to hang around. AFG 198/8 after 37 overs.
Afghanistan might be eight wickets down but Rashid Khan is definitely not playing like his team is under any kind of pressure. 0, 6,0,4,4,6 - how dealt with an over by Stoinis. Pure entertainment!
Wickets falling in a heap for Afghanistan. Dawlat Zadran is out for 4. Now, Rashid Khan and Mujeebur Rahman, two of the youngest players at this World Cup, are in the middle. Najibullah's innings might just have ensured that we do not have another one-sided encounter today.
Najibullah Zadran is out for 51, the highest score in the match so far. Top edges a ball, which keeper Alex Carey has an eternity to get under. What an important innings by Zadran though. Highly entertaining as well.
WICKET! Partnership is broken courtesy slower ball by Stoinis. Naib is out for 31. A big 83-run partnership between him and Zadran has taken the Afghanistan score beyond 150. Rashid Khan is the new man in. We could be set for a big finish.
And with that, Afghanistan have achieved the highest score by an Asian side at this World Cup. Not that they had much of a benchmark to live up to though. Pakistan scored 105 yesterday, Sri Lanka managed 136 earlier today. Najibullah Zadran moves to 43, the highest score in this innings. 19 overs left. What could be the score they should be targetting from here on?
This is an important stand between Naib and Zadran. They have been out there for 10 overs now. Have put on 57 runs for the sixth wicket.
4,4,6,6! Zadran punishes Zampa in that over. 22 runs off it. Zadran, who was the more circumspect of these two in the earlier part of this partnership, has taken his scoring rate to the next level. AFG - 129/5 after 29 overs
Najibullah Zadran looking like he has started to find some touch as well. Both Naib and Zadran not shying away from attacking, despite the match situation. Aussie pacers still relying on the short ball to be their danger ball.
Naib has hit three boundaries already. Cummins wants to get under his skin badly. Two fast bouncers directed straight at him in one over. The first almost got an edge off his bat. Rolls down harmlessly to third man though. AFG 91/5 after 24 overs.
An interesting duel going on between new Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib and Pat Cummins. Naib, who is looking aggressive, smashes Cummins for a boundary. Very next ball, Cummins has something to say to Naib in his follow-up.
RUN OUT! Mid-pitch confusion and Nabi has to depart. Goes for just 7. Fifth wicket down and Afghanistan's lower order has been exposed much before they would have liked. Smith with the golden arm again. Great dive to stop the ball and throw the ball to Carey.
WICKET! Great, low catch by Steve Smith as Afghanistan lose a big wicket. Rahmat Shah, the man who took the lead in rebuilding the innings after two early wickets, is out for 43. Would be utterly disappointed to go out like that. Extremely soft dismissal. Smith leaped forward and did really well to get his hands to that.
AFG - 75/4 after 19.2 overs
Every run by Afghanistan is being cheered by the crowd. This ground has a capacity of less than 10,000, but the Afghan fans are sure making their presence felt.
Rahmat Shah is looking good against spin as well. Pulls Zampa in the midwicket region for four as well. Keeping his strike rate in the 70s for now. He has looked to be the most technically sound batsman of the day so far.
WICKET! Zampa breaks Afghanistan's blossoming partnership in his first over. Hashmatullah Shahidi is stumped. Mohammed Nabi comes in at No. 5. AFG - 56/3 after 13.5 overs
Rahmat (27*) and Hashmatullah (17*) bringing up the team 50 in the 13th over. Both batsmen have looked very confident after that initial period of pressure.
Adam Zampa brought on by Finch now. Gets ball to loop up off Rahmat's bat with his first ball. How will the introduction of spin change things?
Shahidi getting into the act now. Has been content to play the supporting role to Rahmat so far but now hits two boundaries in one Nathan Coulter-Nile over. The Afghanistan innings looking a lot more steady now. 45/2 after 11.2 overs.
Stoinis is into the attack for the first time and Rahmat Shah smashes him on the leg side in his first over as well. A statement of intent of sorts from Afghanistan's No. 3.
Wasim Akram, in the commentary box, says Warner is his pick for being the player of this World Cup. Michael Slater says this can turn out to be a "second wind in international cricket" for Smith and Warner.
Rahmat Shah is reading the short ball well and is pulling off the pull shot confidently. Cummins goes for a boundary on the leg side. Does well to come back with another short ball on a more off-ish line, with Rahmat Shah does well to veer out of the way of.
Nathan Coulter-Nile to bowl his first over now as Finch makes his first change. Again, Rahmat Shah does well to time the ball into the gap on the leg side for another four.
Starc's last four World Cup wickets:
- Umesh Yadav 0 (5b) - bowled - SCG 2015
- Brendon McCullum 0 (3b) - bowled - MCG 2015
- Luke Ronchi 0 (4b) - caught - MCG 2015
- Mohd Shahzad 0 (3b) - bowled - Bristol
Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith and Aaron Finch in place in slips for Australia. Another edge flies off the bat but short of the cordon. Can Shahidi and Rahmat Shah stave off this period of pressure?
This has been a disastrous World Cup for Asian teams so far. Pakistan survived 21.4 overs. Sri Lanka survived 29.2 overs. How will the third Asian team to take the field fare?
Caught behind! Zazai is gone! Afghanistan lose both openers early. This is the fifth time both openers have been dismissed for a duck at a World Cup. Afghanistan were the bowling team on the previous occasion against Sri Lanka at the 2015 tournament in Dunedin.
Pat Cummins with his first wicket in his first over as well. Edged and taken by the keeper. Hasmatullah Shahidi, the new man in, almost nicks one in his first ball too. The Aussie pacers looking dangerous with the new ball. Afghanistan 6/2 after 2 overs.
BOWLED! Shahzad's off stump is sent flying by Starc in the first over. That delivery kept low and swung into Shahzad's pads. Shahzad was cramped for room. Ball struck his pad and ricocheted onto the wicket. Australia strike in the first over and it's the dangerous Shahzad back in the pavilion.
Mohammad Shahzad takes strike for Afghanistan. Hazratullah Zazai on the non-striker's end. Lots of runs in there if those two get going. Mitchell Starc has the new ball for Australia. Here we go!
Bristol is hosting its first World Cup 2019 match today, and it's the first day/night encounter of this edition. The players have stepped on to the pitch. The County Ground is buzzing as the national anthems begin.
"I see green, green and green across to other end where there is a man who loves this. Seems like a pitch that you would love as a bowler. There is a good covering of grass and some moisture too." reckon Mel Jones and Wasim Akram in their analysis.
Aaron Finch(c), David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey(w), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
Mohammad Shahzad(w), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib(c), Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan
Afghanistan have won the toss and opted to bat first. "Put runs on the board," says Gulbadin Naib as Afghanistan opt to bat to a loud cheer at Bristol.
Steve Smith and David Warner will be the two batsmen with the most focus on them, not only because of their much-chronicled returns from ball-tampering bans, but also because of how they have hit the ground running on their returns.
Rashid Khan, who is currently ranked third among ODI bowlers, holds the key for Afghanistan.
A 70 per cent cloud cover has been forecast for the day, but it is not expected to convert into rain. The temperature will be around 19 degrees Celsius. The last ODI here produced almost 720 runs, with England chasing down a colossal 359 with 31 deliveries to spare
Captain Aaron Finch has confirmed Warner is fit for Saturday’s game in Bristol, and that means the opening combination that helped carry Australia to victory in the 2015 World Cup will reunite to kick off the title defense.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Afghanistan vs Australia. This is the second match of the day with the defending champions starting their World Cup campaign. Stay tuned for live score and updates.