Last Update on: November 8th, 2023 at 11:47 am
Afghanistan is still in the semi-final race despite the three-wicket loss against Australia in their recent match in the ICC World Cup 2023. Afghanistan has the opportunity to advance to the knockout stages of the event if the results of upcoming matches are in their favor.
The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led team suffered a heartbreaking loss in their penultimate group stage match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 7. They failed to defend a target of 292 runs despite having the upper hand for the majority of the game.
Afghanistan Bowlers Fail To Pick Last Three Wickets Against Australia
The Afghan team put up a total of 291 runs after opting to bat first. Young opener Ibrahim Zadran scored 129 runs off 143 balls, including eight boundaries and three sixes. All-rounder Rashid Khan played a cameo knock in the last overs, scoring 35 runs off 18 deliveries.
The Afghanistan bowlers put pressure on the Australian batters by taking wickets at regular intervals. Australia collapsed to 91/7 at one stage, on the brink of defeat. However, Afghanistan failed to seize the opportunity to secure a spot in the top four of the table.
How Afghanistan Can Qualify For Semi-Final Stage Of World Cup 2023
India, South Africa, and Australia have secured their places in the knockout stage. Afghanistan is in contention for the fourth spot with Pakistan and New Zealand. They are currently in the sixth position in the 10-team points table with eight points and a net run rate of -0.338.
Afghanistan needs to win their final league stage match, hoping that both New Zealand and Pakistan lose their matches. Even if New Zealand and Pakistan win, Afghanistan can still qualify by winning their last game and improving their net run rate compared to both teams.
The Hashmatullah Shahidi-led team will face the Temba Bavuma-led team in their final match in Ahmedabad on Friday, November 10. New Zealand’s remaining match is against Sri Lanka on November 9, while Pakistan’s last match is against England on November 11.
Also read: NED vs AFG: Watch: Fans Boo And Express Displeasure As Afghanistan Players Offer Namaz On Field
