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England started their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2022 on a high note as they trounced Afghanistan at Perth Stadium on Saturday.
Sam Curran was the star of the night, who led England’s bowling unit, picking up a brilliant five-wicket haul to bundle out Afghanistan for just 112 in 19.4 overs. The English bowlers were right on the money from the beginning, not allowing their opponents to settle one bit.
Curran dismissed Ibrahim Zadran (32), Usman Ghani (30), Azmatullah Omarzai (8), Rashid Khan (0) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (0) to complete his five wickets for 10 runs in 3.4 overs. Apart from Curran, Ben Stokes (2/19) and Mark Wood (2/23) picked up two wickets each.
In response, England did lose wickets at regular intervals, but the paltry target didn’t trouble them as the English side eventually finished the proceedings in 18.1 overs. Explosive batter Liam Livingstone was the top-scorer for the three lions. He smashed an unbeaten 29 from 21 deliveries to take England home.
For Afghanistan, Rashid Khan yet again bowled brilliantly, but the low total wasn’t enough for the Mohammed Nabi-led side to put pressure on England. Rashid picked up a wicket while conceding only 17 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Victory to start our #T20WorldCup campaign! 💪
Next stop, Melbourne 🏟
Scorecard: https://t.co/g9Y8iaOHeT pic.twitter.com/6nTck6F8C6
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) October 22, 2022
A winning start for England in the Super 12 💪🏻#T20WorldCup | #ENGvAFG pic.twitter.com/sqy9tllXQv
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 22, 2022
Sam Curran won the player of the match award in his first World Cup game in his career.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/kieran_cricket/status/1583823414069895168
That was a really scratchy chase by England but they get home eventually – remarkably only the third time in 11 chases in 2022.
In 10 completed T20Is they batted first, they won a whopping eight with an avg 1st inngs score of 193.#ENGvAFG— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) October 22, 2022
If only Afghanistan had gotten another 30 runs, how different things might be
"What ifs" will kill you in cricket #T20WorldCup #ENGvAFG
— ThePoppingCrease (@PoppingCreaseSA) October 22, 2022
5 for Sam Curran. England just too good. Favorites perhaps. #ICCT20WorldCup2022
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) October 22, 2022
What a spell by Sam Curran – 5/10 in 3.4 overs in the T20 World Cup. The first Englishmen to pick up a fifer in this mega event.
Exceptional bowling by Curran! pic.twitter.com/WhU6KZTj3R
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 22, 2022
The Curran brothers love it at Optus Stadium. Sam Curran tonight became the first English player to take a 5-wicket haul in a T20I. His older brother Tom was man of the match in first ODI at the venue back in 2018 v Australia. Fielding masterclass from the Poms. #T20worldcup22
— Jordan McArdle (@jordan_mc12) October 22, 2022
Sam Curran can be appointed financial advisor of Britain since he bowled with 2.72. Perhaps, best Englishman with best economy right now.#T20worldcup22 #ENGvAFG
— Himanshu Pareek (@Sports_Himanshu) October 22, 2022
