ICC T20 Mens World Cup 2021

Two excellent matches today which were in the balance at various different junctures.
Bangladesh will have regrets with the bat.
Afghanistan with the ball.

West Indies clung on by a thread.
Pakistan needed 24 off two overs but Asif Ali decided to finish it in one over with a barrage of sixes.

Two of the best matches of the tournament so far.

Match 25 Group 1 - Sharjah - 30-10-21 (11am)
South Africa v Sri Lanka
South Africa elected to field
Sri Lanka 142 All out Nissanka 72 Shamsi 2-17 Prertorius 3-17 Nortje 2-27
South Africa 146-6 (19.5 overs) Bavuma 46 Miller 23 Hasaranga 3-20 Chameera 2-27
South Africa won by 4 wickets

Match 26 Group 2 - Dubai - 30-10-21 (3pm)
England v Australia
England elected to field
Australia 125 All out Finch 44 Agar 20 Jordan 3-17 Woakes 2-23 Mills 2-45
England 126-2 (11.4 overs) Buttler 71 no Roy 22
England won by 8 wickets

Pretty conclusive victory over the old enemy, England put their foot on the Aussies neck, right from the start & didn't take it off. Yes Australia hit a few sixes late in the innings, but the score looked well below par & Roy & Buttler played with controlled aggression. The rest has done Buttler some good, 71 from 32 balls, 5 fours & 5 massive sixes. Player of the match went to Jordan, But Woakes set the tone with 3 immaculate overs in the powerplay, until his last over went the distance. Rashid & the underrated Livingstone dried the runs up. Moeen wasn't required, with the top order dominated by right-handers, a tactical decision. Mills didn't get it right today, after impressing in the previous games. All in all a dominant performance, all the more special, when you consider the opposition.
Australia have things to resolve, in terms of tactics & selection, & qualification will not be straight forward.

Match 27 Group 2 Abu Dhabi 31-10-21 (10am)
Afghanistan v Namibia
Afghanistan elected to bat
Afghanistan 160-5 Shahzad 45 Zaza 33 Nabi 32 no Afghan 31 Loftie-Eaton 2-21 Trumpelmann 2-34
Namibia 98-9 Wiese 26 Hamid 3-9 Naveen 3-26 Gulbadin 2-19
Asghanistan won by 62 runs


Match 28 Group 2 Dubai 31-10-21 (2pm)
New Zealand v India
NZ elected to field
India 110-7 Jadeja 26 no H Pandya 23 Boult 3-30 Sodhi 2-17
NZ 111-2 (14.3 overs) Mitchell 49 Willliamson 33 no Bumrah 2-19
New Zealand won by 8 wickets

Sri Lanka & South Africa competed in a low scoring thriller. What looked like an under par score, Sri Lanka were indebted to Nissanka, contributed over half of his teams total. South Africa looked in command until Hasaranga]s hat-trick. With 25 required off 2 overs, Sri lanka looked likely to defend until Rabada hit a six in the penultimate over, to bring the equation down to 15 off the last, with Miller hitting back to back maximums, & Rabada hit the winning boundary with only 1 required as the got home with a ball to spare.

India in real peril now after 2 defeats.
I suspect their hopes now rest as much in the hands of Afghanistan as either India themselves or New Zealand.

Tough call.

Group 1

England v Sri Lanka - 2pm

Sri Lanka won toss and field

England: 163/4 - Buttler 101no, Morgan 40. Hasaranga 3-21 (20 overs)

Sri Lanka: 137 all out - Hasaranga 34. Rashid 2-19, Jordan 2-24 (19 overs)

England won by 26 runs

Good to see that Afghanistan are not just a one-trick-pony. Mujeeb has been the most economical spinner despite the fact that he's been bowling his overs in the Power Play. he missed the Mamibia match through injury & the pace attack accounted for 8 of the 9 wickets taken in the match.
Former captain Asghar Afghan made a shock retirement before the match, stating that he is making way for younger players.

A classic match with plenty of ebb & flow. England had to do it the hard way, setting a target on a tough pitch. After 10 overs they were 47-3, & 120 looked the minimum requirement. Morgan spent some welcome time at the crease & hit a few out the middle, which will stand him in good stead later in the tournament. Buttler played his best T20 knock, reaching his 100 off the last ball of the innings.
With the ball Morgan had to adapt his tactics, having to contend with a wet ball, & an injury to Mills, one of his key death bowlers. He got almost everything right in the field, & the victory today was also significant as he has now captained England to a record 43 T20 wins, passing Dhoni, & Asghar Afghan.

I have to praise the England fielding today.
It really proved very significant and it showed just why fielding is such an important facet of the game.