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Michael Vaughan has made an early prediction on Afghanistan’s prospects following their triumph over Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8s.
Rashid Khan’s squad made history by defeating Australia for the first time in any format. Their previous close encounter was in the ODI World Cup last year, where Glenn Maxwell’s outstanding performance thwarted Afghanistan’s hopes.
Maxwell’s double century at the Wankhede Stadium was a spectacular achievement that reverberated across Mumbai and beyond. In contrast, Afghanistan’s clinical victory today stands equally remarkable and unforgettable.
This Afghan team is the first to defeat a side that has secured victories in the World Test Championship, T20 World Cup, and 50-over World Cup. No longer considered newcomers in world cricket, they dominated Mitchell Marsh’s team with a commanding 21-run win at Arnos Vale Stadium in St. Vincent.
With this win, Afghanistan has significantly boosted their chances of reaching the semi-finals. Rashid Khan’s side now needs a similar performance against Bangladesh in their final Super 8 match on June 25th at the same venue. Additionally, Afghanistan’s victory has eased the path for India, who can eliminate Australia from the competition with a win tomorrow in St. Lucia.
Michael Vaughan, reacting to Afghanistan’s historic victory over Australia, expressed his belief that Afghanistan has the potential to reach the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Taking to social media, Vaughan stated that Afghanistan could capitalize on their skills and potentially advance to the final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Vaughan believes Afghanistan’s bowling unit has the capability to propel them into the final of the tournament. “Great win for Afghanistan .. they have a genuine chance now of reaching the final. They will fancy beating any of the teams in the other group in Trinidad with their bowling attack.” – Vaughan wrote on X.
Gulbadin Naib played a crucial role in Afghanistan’s victory, delivering exceptional bowling figures of 4/20 from his 4 overs. Meanwhile, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 60 runs off 49 balls and 51 runs off 48 balls respectively.
