Published: Mar 04, 2015, 07:20 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 04, 2015, 07:57 PM (IST)
Australia humbled Afghanistan by 275 runs in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 clash at the WACA, Perth. This was the biggest margin of victory in a World Cup game as Australia got their campaign back on track after a rained-off game and a defeat. Nishad Pai Vaidya picks some of the key highlights of the Australia-Afghanistan game. Full Scorecard: Australia vs Afghanistan ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
Dawlat Zadran’s initial spell: The Afghanistan seam bowling attack came into this game with a bit of a reputation. Dawlat Zadran lived up to it a little bit with a testing spell upfront. He worked Aaron Finch out by continuously bowling in the good channels around off-stump. Finch was ultimately dismissed when he edged one to the wicketkeeper, prodding at a probing delivery outside the off-stump. That was perhaps the only positive for Afghanistan on the field. Over-by-Over Updates: Australia vs Afghanistan ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
David Warner blasts off: David Warner took his time to get his eye in and then teed off. He was smashing deliveries across the line; anything bowled short was punished towards the boundary. His innings of 178 featured 19 fours and five sixes. Afghanistan were no match for him as they took a beating to his fury. David Warner dismissed for 178 during Australia-Afghanistan ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 match
The injured little boy and Warner’s gesture: One of the sixes Warner carted over long-on, hit a little boy sitting in the stands. The boy looked in pain and was crying. Later, he was shown wearing an ice-pack and seemed in better spirits. It was later revealed that Warner signed a pair of his gloves and sent it to the boy. The gesture has certainly won Warner many fans. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
Glenn Maxwell’s inventive strokeplay: Before start of play, Glenn Maxwell was practicing the reverse-hits to a few throwdowns. He was promoted to No. 4 when Warner was dismissed and only went on to pile on the misery on the Afghans. He was playing th ose reverse-flicks and sweeps with ease during his entertaining 39-ball 88. Afghans were only chasing leather through the day. Top 10 batsmen in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
Nawroz Mangal’s sixes: One of the biggest highlights of the Afghanistan innings was Nawroz Mangal’s sixes off Mitchell Marsh. The deliveries were in the slot and Mangal hit them across the line to send them into the stands on the leg-side. Those back-to-back sixes allowed the Afghan fans a small cheer on a disappointing day. Top 10 bowlers in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
Aaron Finch or Superman? Mangal guided a delivery from Mitchell Johnson towards third-man, but it was too close. Ultimately, he played it too close to first slip. Finch had to still dive across and took it mid-air. Some one in the media centre likened it to a goalkeeper’s move! ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: POINTS TABLE
Mohammad Nabi’s dismissal: When Maxwell came into the attack, Mohammad Nabi tried to sweep him, but it hit something and ballooned in the air. The first slip, took an easy catch behing the wicketkeeper. Nabi went for the referral and indicated to his partner that the ball hit the arm. However, replays showed that the ball hit the outside-edge, although the Snickometre failed to show any deflection. Nabi had to walk back because the video evidence was clear.
Najibullah Zadran’s towering hit: Najibullah Zadran spent some time in the middle once the Afghans were rattled. One of the highlights of his innings was a powerful drive down the ground for a four, that nearly took umpire Kumar Dharmasena’s legs. But later, he smashed Glenn Maxwell for a massive six over long-on, which went into the second tier.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)
