T20 World Cup 2022: Australia made ‘unacceptable’ mistake of all time

Cricket fans have reacted with shock after Australia faced a five-ball over in their win over Afghanistan, a mistake that could have cost them the match and their place in the T20 World Cup.

A late appearance of Glenn Maxwell helped Australia put up a decent total to defeat Afghanistan by just four runs in Adelaide on Friday night, making 8-168 and keeping the visitors at 7-164.

WOW: Tess Flintoff leaves cricket world stunned by ‘crazy’ feat in WBBL

SCANDAL: Virat Kohli in World Cup ‘cheating’ storm as illegal act comes to light

But that narrow margin was not enough to allow Australia to surpass England’s net strike rate. If England beat Sri Lanka on Saturday night, they will join New Zealand as semi-finalists in their group and Australia’s title defense will be over – and captain Aaron Finch’s international career will likely end too .

However, the drama started in the fourth. Umpires and officials ended the over after five balls as Australia batted in the first innings.

An extra ball was counted on the scoreboard when David Warner and Mitchell Marsh bowled an overthrow on the fourth pitch.

The broadcast showed Australia ran two and then awarded three runs for a delivery of five (but no ball was bowled).

The score was later corrected, but the over was still called after five deliveries.

With Australia’s hopes pinning on net run rate, winning by just four runs, every delivery was vital to the defending champions’ chances of progressing to the knockout stages.

This sparked a strong reaction from cricket fans who could not believe that such a mistake could happen in a T20 World Cup.

Fortunately, despite Rashid Khan’s best efforts with the bat, Australia won their vital T20 clash.

However, the net run rate will not save Australia, with the nation hoping that Sri Lanka will spring an upset and beat England so they can qualify for the knockout stages.

Australia’s T20 World Cup hopes hanging by a thread

The Australians needed to bowl out the Afghans for 106 or less to overtake England in terms of net run rate.

“We didn’t really talk about it,” Maxwell said of that goal, which disappeared in the 16th inning.

“We just tried to stick to our game plan as much as possible.

“We thought that if we play well enough and create chances by creating pressure… hopefully our experience will prevail and our skill execution can be good enough.”

New Zealand (seven points, net rate 2.113) top the group, while Australia (seven points, minus 0.173) are now second.

An England triumph would also take them to seven points, but they already have a net run rate of 0.547.

Injured skipper Finch, already retired from one-day internationals, is also expected to put a damper on his career in the shortest format with Australia’s next T20 matches not taking place until August next year in South Africa.

Finch was a nervous spectator as Afghanistan hero Rashid Khan threatened to end Australia’s Cup hopes on Friday night.

After the Afghans lost 4-3 to be 6-103 in the 15th over, Rashid hit four sixes and three fours while smashing 48 not out from 23 balls.

The visitors needed 21 runs in Stoinis’ last over, but Rashid failed to produce a sporting miracle.

with PAA

Click here to sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news from Australia and around the world.