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Rain threatens high-stakes Afghanistan-Australia clash

Published

1 year ago

2025/02/28

Priyan

Azmatullah Omarzai is on top of the world after Afghanistan beat England [Cricinfo]

Much like Afghanistan’s match against England, the political spectre over this clash is hard to put aside. Matches are rare between the countries with Australia – like England – taking a human rights stance and pledging to suspend bilateral ties while the Taliban remain in power.

Cricket Australia publicly demonstrated its commitment to the cause last month by hosting a T20 match featuring an Afghanistan women’s XI in Melbourne, bringing the issue firmly back into the spotlight.

But underlining the complexities of the issue, Australia do play Afghanistan at ICC events – which has led to some criticism – and this intriguing, budding rivalry will resume in Lahore with much at stake.

Given the tournament’s sharp format, it’s basically sudden death, a virtual quarter-final, after Afghanistan once again knocked out England from an ICC event.

But Afghanistan will be eliminated with a loss, while Australia also must win, with a defeat meaning they will have to rely on South Africa being absolutely pummelled by a beleaguered England with nothing to play for. A washout will see Australia through to the semi-final.

Australia and Afghanistan once again find themselves pitted in a high-stakes contest at an ICC event. At the 2022 T20 World Cup, Australia emerged with a slim six run victory in Adelaide that was ultimately not the net-run-rate boost needed as they crashed out early on home soil.

Glenn Maxwell, of course, changed the course of the 2023 World Cup with a remarkable double century that still beggars belief. But Afghanistan had some measure of revenge at last year’s T20 World Cup as they overcame a brief Maxwell onslaught with a 21 run victory that memorably sealed their place in the semi-finals.

And, once again, a semi-final spot is up for grabs. The form line is a little hard to read with both teams having tight wins over a wheezing England. Afghanistan bounced back strongly after a disastrous opening against South Africa while Australia’s momentum came to a halt after their clash against the Proteas was washed out.

Even though they are considerably weakened – against England they fielded their least experienced attack at an ICC ODI event since 1983 – Australia mustered up their big-game pedigree under pressure to make a statement. Their batting line-up still contains plenty of firepower with centurion Josh Inglis emerging as a genuine star batter across formats. It is little wonder that some believe he’s Australia’s next captain.

A back against the wall triumph is in play, but Australia will have to firstly get past rising Afghanistan in a game that feels evenly poised. Afghanistan will lean on their spin-heavy attack, but Australia do have numerous players adept against the turning ball – led by Inglis.

Australia’s depleted pace stocks makes that department more equally matched than previous encounters, while an in-form Ibrahim Zadran – coming off a Champions Trophy-best score of 177 – ensures he can go toe-to-toe with his counterparts.

The prospect of more bad weather in Lahore could also play a factor in a clash that is set to be just as compelling as the recent matches between these teams.

There isn’t much cricket history between the countries, but Glenn Maxwell is probably the first name that springs to mind with this match-up. In the last ODI between the teams, a hobbled Maxwell produced one of the greatest ever innings to rescue Australia from the brink at the 2023 World Cup and crush the hearts of Afghanistan. Maxwell enters this match in great form having put the finishing touches against England after a brilliant end to the BBL season. It will be interesting to see if his presence at the crease spooks Afghanistan, who are adamant they haven’t devoted too much of their plans on him.

While Afghanistan’s slew of quality spinners deservedly attracts plenty of attention, seam bowling allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai stole the show against England with his maiden five-wicket haul of his professional career. He was particularly superb at the death with three wickets when the game was on a knife’s edge. Omarzai’s emergence has helped Afghanistan better balance their attack and they are no longer merely reliant on their spinners for success. He’ll need to back up that performance against a formidable Australia batting-order and his canny, skiddy bowling will need to be on point against big-hitting openers Travis Head and Matthew Short. If he can strike early breakthroughs then Afghanistan will be right in the hunt.

Due to the inclement conditions, team lists weren’t even announced for the Australia-South Africa clash. It makes predicting Australia’s line-up somewhat difficult. The team is mostly settled, but they might be tempted to tweak their bowling attack that leaked 351 runs against England. Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson might be in the selection gun after he was overlooked for the death overs against England. But his pace and bounce could be a weapon against Afghanistan’s top order. Australia, who trained indoors on match eve, will also consider bowling allrounder Sean Abbott, who offers a point of difference and strengthens the batting, and legspinner Tanveer Sangha given Marnus Labuschagne’s part-time legspin played a role against England.

After such a momentous victory, Afghanistan are likely to go unchanged for the third straight game and back their spin strength in subcontinental conditions. The trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad will present considerable challenges for the Australians.

Australia (possible): Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith (capt), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott/Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa

Afghanistan (possible): Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi

[Cricinfo]

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Maliban Biscuits, Brandix Apparels, Star Garments, Mobitel, Future Life Holdings, Alliance Insurance, Stafford Motors and CDB ‘B’ through to quarter finals

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/3

Priyan

Maliban Biscuits, Brandix Apparels, Star Garments, Mobitel, Future Life Holdings, Alliance Insurance, Stafford Motors and CDB ‘B’ qualified for the quarter finals of the Stafford Motors sponsored MCA G division T20 cricket tournament on Friday.

The quarter finals will be played today [Sunday 3^rd May], and Maliban Biscuits are to meet Allianz Insurance at the Royal College grounds in the morning while Brandix Apparels will meet Future Life Holdings at the same venue in the afternoon. At the Thurstan College ground, Star Garments will meet CDB in the morning game while Mobitel will meet tournament sponsors Stafford Motor company in the afternoon.

The four undefeated teams in the tournament, namely Maliban Biscuits, Star Garments, Mobitel, and Brandix Apparels will look forward to continue their good form and qualify for the semi- finals which are to be played next weekend.

SCORES: PRE-QUARTER FINALS

At Darley Road:

Maliban Biscuits ‘B’ beat Fairfirst Insurance ‘B’ by 7 wickets

Fairfirst Insurance ‘B’ 117/7 in 20 overs [Azeem mohomed 33, Lahiru Madushanka 51, Sajitha Samarasinghe 12*; Dilip Sandaruwan 2-17, Tharindu Siriwardena 2-11, Mohamed Shilmi 1-05, Dilan Alwis 1-17, Chamara Rathnayake 1-21]

Maliban Biscuits ‘B’ 118/3 in 17.0 overs [Tharindu Siriwardena 19, Gihan Ranasinghe 38, Mohomad Shilmi 38*, Anjula Perera 15; Kasun Liyanage 1-15, Prashein Fernando 1-24, Azeem Mohomed 1-06]

Sasitha , bowlers star in Brandix Apparel’s 12 run win

Brandix Apparel 137/10 in 17.2 overs [Sampath Jayalath 15, Sasitha Ashan 51, Anton Lakshan 16, Tharaka Silva 19; Budhdhika Herath 2-18, Uneda Nadushan 1-41, Melvin Fernando 1-31, Udara Atapaththu 4-21, Udesh Nishan 1-14]

Pyramid Wilmar 125/9 in 20 overs [Sahas Vihanga 47, Lasith Fernando 36, Udesh Nishan 23*; Janaka Weerapokuna 1-20, Kalpa Udesh 1-13, Akila Dhanuddara 2-39, Tharaka Silva 1-15, Sampath Jayalath 3-12]

At Thurstan College grounds:

Star Garments beat JF and I Packaging by 8 wickets

JF and I Packaging 110/8 in 20 overs [Sameera Lackruwan 10, Dinesh Wishwajith 16, Sarinda Malavige 2, Chamod Sulakshana 22; Dunik Perera 1-16, Suwahas Yapa 2-17, Dhanuka Dulanjana 3-20, Rishantha Anushka 1-12]

Star Garments 111/2 in 11.3 overs [Nadeesha Rajakaruna 25, Dileepa Fernando 35, Sanjaya Mihiran 32*, Chathuranga Dilshan 11*;Dinesh Wiswajith 2-29]

Mobitel Pvt Limited beat LOLC Insurance by 4 wickets

LOLC Insurance 100/10 in 18.2 overs [Pinsara Nanayakkara 18, M Z Osman 20*, Hashan Shalinda 22, Chamara Sampath 12; Sachin Indrarathne 3-17, Sandeepa Halangoda 2-25, Dinidu Samodana 2-07, Dasun Bandara 2-08]

Mobitel Pvt Limited 101/6 in 18.3 overs [Sasun Bandara 12, Sachi Indrarathne 14, Sachin Bulathsinghala 16, Sandeepa Halangoda 23*, Damith Rangana 11; Chamara Thennakoon 2-32, Deneth Nissanka 1-09, M Z Osman 2-16, Neranjaya Madusanka 1-20]

At Nalanda College Grounds:

Future Life Holdings beat MAS Active Kreeda by 6 wickets

MAS Active Kreeda 123/8 in 20 overs [Jineetha Malith 19, Suventhiran Subikaran 42, Anju Amaradasa 21, Akila Silva 12; Shehan Fernando 1-15, Praveen Wanniarachchi 1-19, Prabath Wijesinghe 2-32, Malshan Lakshitha 3-20]

Future Life Holdings 124/4 in 15.1 overs [Sonal Dilmith 50, Shehan Fernado 12, Savindu Rodrigo 24*, Lasal Lakshitha 25; Anju Amaradasa3-32, Chandula Welivita 1-28]

Allainz Insurance crush Alaris Lanka bu 108 runs

Allainz Insurance 238/9 in 20 overs [Yohan Ravishka 74, Charinda Fernando 15, Praveen Shashanka 42, Sameera Fernando 62, Dhanushka Fernando 14; Vishmitha Silva 1-38, Asuntha Indika 1-35, Lakshitha Peiris 1-44, Srihan Anurudhdhika 1-38, Hansitha Madushan 4-28]

Alaris Lanka 130/9 in 20 overs [Vishmitha Silva 21, Srihan Anuruddhika 55, Sameera Rukghan 21, Asuntha Indika 10*; Charinda Fernando 2-28, Malik Peiris 3-34, Mayura Ranasinghe 1-14, Ranga Dias 2-21]

At the MCA Ground:

Stafford Motors edge out Amana Bank by 6 wickets

Amana Bank 137/10 in 19.4 overs [Ramesh Fernando 22, Azher Samsoodeem 11, Shaeed Rizwan 68; Janith Maduwantha 1-32, Shanaka Sampath 2-21, Vihanga Malith 2-22, Sajeewa Vishan 1-18, Sanjaya Fernando 2-25, Asanka Kumarage 1-06]

Stafford Motors 143/4 in 18.1 overs [Gajindu Yasas 30, Vihanga Malith 22, Shanaka Sampath 38, Dammika Kumara 26, Sanjaya Fernando 16*; Ishrath Zarook 1-25, Alawi Nazeer 1-22, Shamsul Muneer 2-21]

CDB B beat VS Information Systems by 5 wickets

VS Information Systems 95/10 in 18.1 overs [Shamilka Wickremathilake 10, KisalRanathunge 18, Kasun Bandara 15, Nimnada Kirindage17, Adeesha Bandaranayake 14; Vishwa Dhananjaya 3-21, Praveen Abeysinghe 2-30, Chamathkar Hettiarachchi 1-18, Chamod Madushan 1-18, Savin Gunasekera 3-08]

CDB B 97/5 in Savin Gunasekera 10, Chathuranga Dikkumbura 23, Chamathkar Hettiarachchi 29, Themira Kumarage 15; Chamath Chamupathi 1-18, Shan Aniketh 1-19, Nimnada Kirindage 2-06, Ayesh Lakmal 1-04]

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Jacobs’ blazing 62* counters Shoriful three-for as New Zealand level series

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/2

Priyan

Bevon Jacobs bashed 62* off 31 balls [Cricinfo]

New Zealand 104 for 4 in 11.4 overs (Tim Robinson 23, Bevon Jacobs 62*, Dean Foxcroft 15*; Mahedi Hassan 1-2, Shoriful Islam 3-19) beat Bangladesh 102 in 14.2 overs (Saif Hassan 16, Litton Ds 26. Towhid Hridoy 33; Nathan Smith 2-14, Ben Sears 2-12. Jayden Lennox 1-28, Josh Clarkson 3-09, ) by six wickets (DLS method)

Bevon Jacobs’ cracking unbeaten 62 took New Zealand to a six-wicket win against Bangladesh in the third T20I. The win in the rain-affected match in Dhaka ensured the three-match series was levelled 1-1 after the second game was rained out.

On Saturday, rain interrupted the Bangladesh innings for nearly two hours after it came down hard at 2.37pm local time. Play resumed at 4.30pm, and the match was reduced to 15 overs per side.

New Zealand, however, bowled Bangladesh out for 102 in the 15th over, with Josh Clarkson taking 3 for 9. Later, it was Jacobs who struck 62 off 31 balls, including five fours and three sixes, to get them home with 20 balls to spare.

Shoriful Islam gave Bangladesh a stunning start in their defense. He bowled a teasing outswinger with his second ball, that Katene Clarke couldn’t help but chase, thus edging to wicketkeeper Litton Das for 1. Shoriful rounded up the first over with Dane Cleaver’s wicket, also caught behind – this time off the inside edge.

Tim Robinson looked promising at the other end, crashing Ripon Mondol for a sweetly timed four and a brutally struck six over point, but he fell trying to slog Shoriful in the fourth over. Mahedi Hasan got into the act too, when he bowled captain Nick Kelly for one.

Jacobs went after Shoriful in his last over, striking him for two fours through midwicket, before Dean Foxcroft swung him down the ground for a third boundary. Jacobs struck Rishad Hossain through midwicket soon after, before Mondol was sent high over mid-off for a six.

Jacobs reached his fifty with a six off Rishad’s next over. Parvez Hossain Emon could have taken a catch at long-on, but instead punched it over for the maximum. Jacobs then slammed a straight boundary, before slog-sweeping Rishad for a six over midwicket to complete the chase with a sequence of 6, 4, 6.

Before the rain, Nathan Smith gave New Zealand a solid start with two wickets off consecutive deliveries in the fifth over. Smith burst through Tanzid Hasan with a delivery that held its line as Tanzid went for a heave across the line. Next ball, Parvez Hossain’s upper cut was poorly timed, as it lobbed towards Ish Sodhi at short third.

Before the double strike, left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox became the third New Zealander to take a wicket with his first ball in T20Is. On debut, Lennox outfoxed Saif Hassan into giving a simple catch to Robinson at cover. Before Lennox did on Saturday, Lockie Ferguson and Cole McConchie had taken wickets with their first ball on debut.

When play resumed after a lengthy rain break, Clarkson removed Litton, who was caught at the deep-cover boundary after he made 26 off 17 balls. Towhid Hridoy survived a run-out chance in the next over when wicketkeeper Cleaver dislodged the stumps before the throw came in from the point fielder, with Hridoy stranded outside the crease.

Bangladesh’s luck, however, ran out soon, when Sodhi removed Shamim Hossain in the 12th over. Clarkson dismissed Hridoy and Mohammad Saifuddin off consecutive balls in the next over. Robinson took a great low catch, about which he was unsure of initially; he eventually finished with three catches in the innings,the most by a New Zealand outfielder in Bangladesh.

Rishad was run out trying to complete a second, before Ben Sears, fresh off the plane from the PSL, bowled Shoriful and Mondol early in the last over.

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Chamari Athapaththu’s all-round heroics carries Sri Lanka to 3-0 sweep of Bangladesh

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/2

Priyan

File photo: Chamari Athapaththu played her shots from the get-go [Cricinfo]

Sri Lanka completed a clean sweep of Bangladesh after winning the third T20I by three runs. In the rain-affected match in Sylhet, Chamari Athapaththu once again led the visitors with an all-round show. After her 41 runs from the bat helped Sri Lanka to 87 in nine overs, she bagged 2 for 15 with the ball when defending the total.

Sent in to bat first after a two-and-a-half hour delay, Sri Lanka sped off to 40 runs in the shortened powerplay of three overs. Offspinner Sultana Khatun removed Imesha Dulani in the fourth over after she made 19 off 10 balls with four boundaries.

Athapaththu played a lone hand henceforth while wickets fell at the other end. She struck five fours and a six, some of them blistering through the in field, and a couple of flicks, as she held the Sri Lanka innings on her own.

Harshitha Samarawickrama fell to Sanjida Akter in the fifth over, before Sultana removed Hansima Karunaratne and Nilakshika Silva in the sixth. Kavisha Dilhari struck two fours and a six in her seven-ball 15 which bolstered Sri Lanka towards the end of their innings.

In the chase, Athapaththu removed Dilara Akter in the second over before Juairiya Ferdous and Sobhana Mostary added 30 runs for the second wicket. Captain Nigar Sultana couldn’t get a move on, as she made 13 off nine balls, and Bangladesh couldn’t get to the target in the end. They needed 14 runs off the last over, with Sultana only getting a single boundary off Athapaththu.

Brief scores:
Sri Lanka Women 87 for 6 in 9 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 41, Imesha Dulani 19, Kavisha Dilhari 15; Sultana Khatun 3-08, Sanjida Akter Meghia 1-16) beat Bangladesh Women 84 for 6 in 9 overs (Juairia Ferdous 15, Sobhana Mostary 21, Nigar Sultana 13; Chamari Athapaththu 2-15, Sugandika Kumari 2-22, Nimasha Meepagr 1-16, Mithali Ayodhya 1-13 ) by three runs

[Cricinfo]