T20 World Cup 2022 AUS vs AFG Highlights! Australia survive a scare, edge out Afghanistan by 4 runs

Hosts Australia avoided a scare on Friday as they narrowly edged out Afghanistan by 4 runs in their final game of the group stage in the T20 World Cup 2022 and keep their semi-finals hope alive.

Put into bat, the Aussies didn't get off to the best of starts in the absence of skipper Aaron Finch as they lost their top 3, Cameron Green, David Warner and Steve Smith within the powerplay overs.

However, Mitchell Marsh (45) and Glenn Maxwell (54) made sure Australia got to a respectable total as they finished at 168/4.

Australia may have had plans to win their last group fixture comprehensively but Afghanistan gave the defending champions a reality check.Afghani opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave his side a perfect start with a 17-ball-30. But Afghanistan then had a middle order collapse as they went from being 99/2 to 103/6.

But in came Rashid Khan who with his brilliant unbeaten innings of 48 runs off 23 balls, gave Australia a proper scare in the end but was unable to steer his side to victory as Afghanistan fell short by just 4 runs.

Australia will qualify for the semis if England lose to Sri Lanka in the last Group 1 encounter.

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