ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2022 | Maxwell drags Australia to 168-8 in must-win game against Afghanistan

Australia needs to win handsomely to boost their NRR for a place in semifinals

Glenn Maxwell hit an unbeaten 54 in the face of some inspired Afghanistan bowling to steer Australia to 168-8 in their must-win Twenty20 World Cup clash on November 4, 2022.

The defending champions and hosts need to win, and handsomely, in Adelaide to boost their net run rate for a place in the semifinals.

Earlier, New Zealand all but booked their final-four spot from the same group with a comfortable 35-run win over Ireland in the first match of the day at the Adelaide Oval.

Australia lost skipper Aaron Finch and Tim David to hamstring injuries and dropped pace bowler Mitchell Starc before being invited to bat first.

Australia kept losing wickets but Maxwell stood firm in his 32-ball knock studded with six fours and two sixes to hand his team a badly needed competitive total.

Naveen-ul-Haq rocked Australia’s top order with the wickets of David Warner, for 28, and the returning Steve Smith, for four, in one over. He returned impressive figures of 3-21.

The left-handed Warner came out firing to smash spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman for three straight boundaries in the second over of the match.