Afghanistan had a landmark night in cricket history, defeating Australia by 21 runs in their Super Eight encounter at the T20 World Cup 2024 in Saint Vincent.

Saturday night’s win marked Afghanistan’s first-ever victory over the 2021 T20 champions and six-time 50-over champions, opening the door to a potential semifinal qualification.

“We have waited for this moment for a long time – at last, we beat Australia,” Gulbadin Naib, Afghanistan’s standout bowler, exclaimed following the win.

This historic victory will be remembered for a long long time! 🙌👊🤩👏🔥#AfghanAtalan | #T20WorldCup | #AFGvAUS | #GloriousNationVictoriousTeam pic.twitter.com/cdvwLiyz0r

— Afghanistan Cricket Board (@ACBofficials) June 23, 2024

Naib took four wickets in his four overs, conceding only 20 runs as Mitchell Marsh’s team was bowled out for 127 in 19.2 overs while chasing 149.

Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who had previously led Australia to a dramatic win against Afghanistan in the 50-over World Cup, looked to repeat his heroics until Naib removed him in the 15th over, triggering a collapse in the Australian batting lineup.

Maxwell’s 59 runs off 41 balls was the top score for Australia by a significant margin. Only two other batters, Marsh (12 runs) and Marcus Stoinis (11 runs), managed to reach double figures.

Naib also claimed the critical wickets of Stoinis, lower-order batter Tim David, and the hard-hitting bowler Pat Cummins.

“We have achieved a lot over the past decade, but this is a significant milestone for Afghan cricket,” Naib stated.

The seasoned all-rounder acknowledged the challenging batting conditions at the Arnos Vale Ground in Kingstown but praised his team’s resilience.

“The ball was not coming onto the bat easily, but it was a collective effort,” he said with a broad smile.

“This is a massive accomplishment – our journey begins now.”

Naveen ul Haq was another key pace bowler, taking three wickets in four overs and maintaining an economy rate of just five runs per over.

Afghanistan’s renowned spin attack, led by captain Rashid Khan, also kept the Australian batsmen in check. Rashid took one wicket in his four overs, conceding just 23 runs.

All-rounder Mohammad Nabi took the vital wicket of Australia’s dangerous opener, David Warner, for three runs in his single over.

A famous night for Afghanistan🥳#T20WorldCup #AFGvAUS pic.twitter.com/tMyMKN3QjG

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) June 23, 2024

‘Significant for Folks Back Home’

Afghanistan will face Bangladesh at the same venue on Tuesday, hoping to secure their semifinal place with a substantial win.

Rashid Khan noted the win was “very significant for people back home,” who will be thrilled with their enhanced chances for the semifinals.

“[It is] a massive victory, especially beating the 50-over world champions in a world cup match,” Rashid remarked in his post-match comments.

He credited Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran for their opening partnership of 118 runs in 15.5 overs, setting a solid foundation for a substantial total.

However, the remaining Afghan batsmen could only add another 30 runs in the last 25 balls, ending their innings at 148-6 in 20 overs.

Australia’s chase faced an early setback when Naveen dismissed the in-form opener Travis Head on the third ball of the innings.

Regular wickets and restrictive bowling kept the pre-tournament favorites under pressure, and Afghanistan clinched a memorable victory with four balls to spare.

The players and staff celebrated enthusiastically at the end of the match.

Australian captain Marsh acknowledged his team was “outplayed” by a disciplined Afghan side.

They will next face India in their final Super Eight match on Tuesday. A loss to the 2007 champions could likely end their tournament run.