Live Report - Afghanistan vs Australia, World Cup 2023, Mumbai

6m ago

Right from the Asia Cup there have been questions around Afghanistan's middle order, if they have to make a mark in ODIs. That middle order has stepped up in the World Cup, has helped them chase down targets, but today the first step to set Australia a stiff target was for one of their openers to settle down and set things up for the middle order. Hello, Ibrahim Zadran. The more patient of the two openers, the one more in control today while playing his shots, the one leading Afghanistan right now with a 62-ball fifty, with his drives, especially through the covers.

Afghanistan have kind of done half the job; 99 for 1 after 20 overs.

Mitchell Starc's first spell was for 19 runs from three overs and the second over of his second spell lasted 10 balls! As many as four wides from him - three down the leg side, one way outside off, he even came around the wicket to finally end the over. Not a great day for Starc so far - 5-0-35-0.

47m ago

Both Gurbaz and Ibrahim were getting set, and rather uncharacteristically Josh Hazlewood bowled a poor ball which Ibrahim put away for four. But three balls later, Gurbaz plays a half-hearted pull with a man stationed at deep square leg, and Gurbaz is so disappointed that he has dropped his bat on the pitch and is looking at the Australian celebrations in disbelief.

Hazlewood has been such a force for Australia in powerplays this World Cup. So economical and so accurate, as usual. His ER is just 4.38 in the first 10 overs this World Cup, only behind Jasprit Bumrah's 2.73 and Taskin Ahmed's 3.89 (minimum 100 balls bowled).

19 Runs leaked by Starc in his first spell of three overs

1h ago

They're face Starc and Hazlewood, among the best bowlers in the world, and both Gurbaz and Ibrahim have done pretty well in the first five. They have respectfully defended the good balls, especially from Hazlewood around off stump, they have survived some early swing from Starc, and they have played their strokes when the ball has been pitched up or wide.

A few boundaries later, Australia remove the two slips they started with, Starc keeps a deep square leg with fine leg in the circle, and bangs in the short ball which Gurbaz top-edges just wide of the keeper on the leg side for a one-bounce four!

Afghanistan 27 for 0 after five.

1h ago

None other than local boy and World Cup winner Sachin Tendulkar spent two hours in the Afghanistan nets last night, first re-uniting with his former mate Ajay Jadeja, former rival Jonathan Trott, and then spending a considerable time talking to the players.

2h ago

In my view Afghanistan have their best chance of beating Australia by batting first and that's precisely what they're doing after winning the toss. Australia bring in two changes, as expected: Mitch Marsh in for Smith and Maxwell for Cam Green.

Afghanistan have one change too: Naveen-ul-Haq comes in for Fazalhaq Farooqi. So Afghanistan stick with their four spinners and have two quicks today. Slightly surprising, I'd say, because of how India's quicks bowled under the lights here a few days ago against Sri Lanka. But spin is Afghanistan's strength, so why not!

Australia: 1 Travis Head, 2 David Warner, 3 Mitch Marsh, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Josh Inglis (wk), 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Marcus Stoinis, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Adam Zampa,11 Josh Hazlewood

Afghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Ikram Alikhil (wk), 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Noor Ahmad

2h ago

Warm because it's close to 35 degrees here in Mumbai, where Australia take on Afghanistan with semi-final berths up for grabs for both teams! Australia are already placed a comfortable third, but Afghanistan are also on a three-match winning streak with victories against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

What are the conditions like? Hot and sunny at the Wankhede, and the pitch for today is No. 8, the some one where South Africa had amassed 382 while batting first against Bangladesh. Don't be surprised if the team winning the toss bats first today too.

Early signs are that Steven Smith is probably out of today's game because of the vertigo issue he has had and spoke about yesterday, so Mitch Marsh should slot back in at No. 3 in his place. The other change could be Glenn Maxwell coming in for Stoinis or Green.