ICC World Cup 2019: Match 24, England vs Afghanistan – Who Said What

England had another stupendous day at the office as they managed to thump Afghanistan by 150 runs at the Old Trafford in Manchester. Subsequently, the Eoin Morgan-led unit moved to the top of the points table in the 2019 World Cup. Their batting almost sealed the fate of the game courtesy of the skipper’s 13th ODI century. For the Afghans, they lost their fifth match in a row and remain as the cellar dwellers.

Morgan wrecks havoc

Nothing went right for the Afghans after they lost the toss and the Englishmen raced their way to 397 in 50 overs. James Vince and Jonny Bairstow took the Brits off to a steady start with a 44-run stand off 57 balls. Dawlat Zadran drew first blood, getting rid of Vince, who scored 26. Thereafter, Joe Root and Bairstow carried on the good work. Bairstow was looking good for a ton but got out after scoring 90.

Root also missed out on a century, having got out on 88. Both the wickets went to opposition skipper Gulbadin Naib. However, it was England captain Morgan, who stole the limelight as he notched 148 off 71 balls with four fours and 17 colossal blows into the stand. He was severe on Rashid Khan, who leaked 110 runs in his nine overs. Moeen Ali rubbed salt into the Afghans’ wounds with a quickfire 31 off 9 balls.

Hashmatullah gets a gritty half-century

The run-chase didn’t start on a happy note for the Afghans as Jofra Archer rattled Noor Ali Zadran’s woodwork in the second over. Gulbadin who promoted himself to the top played some audacious strokes and got 37 off 28 with four boundaries and a six. Mark Wood got his number in the 12th over. Then, it was the turn of Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi to build some momentum and they stitched together a well-fought 52-run stand.

Rahmat got out to a full toss off Adil Rashid after scoring 46 off 74. Hashmatullah tried hard with a 100-ball 76 and he was nipped out by Archer. Former skipper Asghar Afghan flayed his willow to accumulate 44 runs, but the required rate kept mounting at an alarming rate. Mohammad Nabi succumbed to yet another failure with the bat, having scored nine. The Afghans eventually managed to get 247 in their 50 overs.

Eoin Morgan, the England skipper, and Player of the Match said:

I think Clive Llyod can still hit a few out of the park with my bat. Today was fantastic for us. The wicket was very good. I thought everything from the way we started – our openers started well. Bairstow and Root were excellent, and then we just took a gamble and it paid off. Didn’t really think it was going to be my day at any point to be honest. I’ve had a bad back, looks like I’m getting old (laughs). There are many guys in the dressing room and who can produce an innings like that – but to match up to the youngsters is amazing.

I didn’t think I could produce an innings like that, honestly. Afghanistan is a side with a lot of potential – a completely different challenge with their spin attack. I have changed in terms of my game – every one plays the shots I started my career with – the scoops and the sweeps, etc. However, right now, I’m stronger down the ground than I have ever been, and life seems to have come full circle that way, because cricket has evolved in a way that there are fields that the oppositions set for those funky shots now.

Gulbadin Naib, the Afghanistan skipper, said:

How they played after 30 overs was special. Credit to Morgan for how he batted. One of the best innings I’ve ever seen. This wicket was totally different to the ones we’ve been playing on. Mujeeb did really well, did his job. Unfortunately, Rashid was expensive and didn’t deliver. Did a lot of good things in the field, but we dropped the catch of Morgan. And he capitalized. Worked hard in every department. We’re improving day by day. Have a lot of work to do in every department. Big target but the message to the boys is to play their normal game. Playing fifty overs is a good thing for our batters.