Australia is out of the T20 World Cup after Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh in a wild, rain-affected showdown on Tuesday afternoon (AEST), with the incredible faking of a hamstring injury stealing the show. India and Afghanistan have advanced into the knockouts with Australia’s tournament ending thanks to losses to both nations. In a match interrupted by rain multiple times, Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib was seen pretending to succumb to hamstring cramp as rain fell over the Caribbean island of St Vincent.
Crucially, the modified (DLS) target at the time of his antics was in favour of his side at the time, before the covers were temporarily called for. Wickets at the most crucial of times came for Afghanistan, with Bangladesh never truly holding the game by the throat. Subsequently, the Tigers could never do Australia the ultimate favour by beating Afghanistan in one of cricket’s most unprecedented matches in its long history.
Tigers opener Litton Dad honourably carried his bat for 54 not out of 49 balls – an innings that included five fours and one six. His efforts were the sole reason Australians held hope of an upset, but instead he finished the bat stuck at the other end as tail-enders Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman were dismissed in back-to-back balls. Bangladesh needed only nine runs from seven balls at the conclusion of the match, which could have so easily swayed in favour of the Australians had Das had one final chance to finish the match for his si.
