England now know exactly what they need to do to reach the T20 World Cup semi-finals and thankfully it does not involve net run-rate: victory over Sri Lanka in their final group match here on Saturday will be enough to secure second place behind New Zealand, knock out the holders Australia and set up a probable encounter with India in Adelaide on Thursday.
From their hotel in central Sydney, the England players closely monitored events in this game between Australia and Afghanistan in Adelaide, which Australia needed to win and win well – as it transpired, by a margin of 62 runs – to raise their net run-rate above England’s. This was always going to be a tall order, and so it proved. Australia now need Sri Lanka to beat England to remain in the party they are hosting.
For most of the game, thoughts focused on Australia’s margin of victory but remarkably it was not until the penultimate ball that an Afghanistan win was ruled out. Australia won but Afghanistan, whose own campaign was ruined by two washouts, won the hearts of neutral supporters with their fighting spirit.
Fine batting from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib took Jonathan Trott’s team to a healthy 99 for two chasing 169. Then a direct hit run out from Glenn Maxwell removed Gulbadin and triggered a collapse of four wickets in nine balls.
In walked Rashid Khan, a cricketer who never knows when he is beaten, and after moving to ten off 11 balls he proceeded to smash Australia’s finest bowlers to all parts. Back-to-back sixes off Kane Richardson were quickly followed by a six and a four off Josh Hazlewood. With 21 needed off six balls from Marcus Stoinis, he was not done; he managed 16 but was furious not to find more. He finished unbeaten on 48 from 23.