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England vs Afghanistan, 6th Match, Group A at Colombo, , Sep 21 2012 - Match Result

RESULT
6th Match, Group A (N), Colombo (RPS), September 21, 2012, ICC World Twenty20
196/5
(17.2/20 ov, T:197) 80

England won by 116 runs

Player Of The Match
99* (55)
luke-wright
Match centre 
Scores: Binoy George | Comms: Alan Gardner
Scorecard summary
England 196/5(20 overs)
Afghanistan 80/10(17.2 overs)

10.50pm/6.20pm: Right, it's been a rollercoaster ride but, at the end of it, England remain on course and Afghani pride is, just about, still intact. That's your lot from me, Andrew McGlashan's report is in and there'll be more news and reaction on the site later. I'll be back again for England v India on Sunday. Cheerio until then.

10.40pm/6.10pm: Out on the field, Nasser Hussain is conducting the first post-match interview with Nawroz Mangal, Afghanistan's captain. Unfortunately, Mangal is using an interpreter ... and Nasser completely forgets to get the translation until the last couple of questions. He's a bit more comfortable talking to the other interviewees.

Stuart Broad, England's captain: "We batted maturely, Luke Wright's innings was outstanding and when the guys came in at the end and struck the ball it was very powerful and exciting to see. We bowled well at the start, you're always going to concede a few runs in T20 but it was a good win. It's amazing to see teams like Afghanistan here, it's important to grow the game and hopefully this inspires people in their country. We'll be fired up and wanting a win [against India] and that's the only attitude to take when you cross the line."

Man of the Match, Luke Wright: "Yeah, it was a bit of a special evening, I was desperate to play well and win games for England so it's special to be man of the match. We tried to hang around and see what we could get early on. As I've got older I've gone away and tried to work on my game and prove that I'm a better player. The amount of guys I've seen have time away from England, like Ian Bell, and come back a better players, talking to other coaches and players about how I could improve. I want to bowl more, I've been used a a bit of a one-over specialist. It's something that came from my knee injury but I'll keep working on it."

10.35pm/6.05pm: No need to check the temperature of the giant, then, he'll not be felled today. Another regulation win for the bigger boys looks pretty bad on paper for Afghanistan but they bowled with heart once again and, albeit only one of them, thrashed merrily with the bat. There have been plenty of bigger embarrassments. Victory also sends England (and India) through to the Super Eights and means Afghanistan are out.

17.2
W
Dernbach to Gulbadin, OUT

and that's it, Dernbach gets the final wicket as Gulbodin slogs into the air off the toe of the bat, falling tragically short of a defiant half-century - still, he has bettered his previous T20I best by 27 runs and recorded the highest score by a No. 8 in the format. Silver linings aside, that means England win by 116 runs

Gulbadin Naib c Morgan b Dernbach 44 (32b 5x4 3x6 42m) SR: 137.5
17.1
Dernbach to Gulbadin, no run

rolled out the back of the hand, punched to long-off, turned down one

end of over 1710 runs
AFG: 80/9CRR: 4.70 RRR: 39.00
Gulbadin Naib44 (30b 5x4 3x6)
Izatullah Dawlatzai0 (3b)
Steven Finn 4-0-24-1
Graeme Swann 4-2-22-2
16.6
1
Finn to Gulbadin, 1 run

full and wide and slapped into the covers and it gets Gulbodin to the striker's end for the next over

Afghanistan's batting representative for today is still having fun out there

16.5
4
Finn to Gulbadin, FOUR runs

Finn to Gulbodin Naib, 1 run, full length and wide of the stumps, Gulbodin edges across and plays an outrageous scoop for four to deep backward square

16.4
Finn to Gulbadin, no run

takes the pace off this time, Gulbodin swings and misses

16.4
1w
Finn to Gulbadin, 1 wide

bounced, wide of the stumps ... but too high

16.3
Finn to Gulbadin, no run

full bunger at the stumps, clubbed straight back down the ground to long-on, doesn't take a single - he's just having some batting practice, is Gulbodin

16.2
Finn to Gulbadin, no run

full length ball outside off, swings like a rusty gate and misses

16.1
4
Finn to Gulbadin, FOUR runs

short ball, swatted out towards wide long-on, a vicious kick off the turf takes the ball past Bairstow's nose and over the rope for four

Broad rotates again, Finn on to trying shark out the final wicket

end of over 166 runs • 1 wicket
AFG: 70/9CRR: 4.37 RRR: 31.75
Izatullah Dawlatzai0 (3b)
Gulbadin Naib35 (24b 3x4 3x6)
Graeme Swann 4-2-22-2
Jade Dernbach 2-0-16-1
15.6
Swann to Izat, no run

length ball, tapped to cover

15.5
Swann to Izat, no run

tossed up and defended back down the track

15.4
Swann to Izat, no run

over the wicket, spinning back from outside off and blocked

That was a 44-run partnership for the ninth wicket. Not bad, particularly after what had gone before

15.3
W
Swann to Shapoor, OUT

and got him, slides on with the arm, inside the line of the bat and Dharmasena raises the finger, Zadran sloping off one run shy of double figures

Shapoor Zadran lbw b Swann 9 (17b 0x4 1x6 25m) SR: 52.94
15.2
6
Swann to Shapoor, SIX runs

shot! Zadran goes down on one knee and carves a mighty mow over deep midwicket for six more

15.1
Swann to Shapoor, no run

round the wicket, defended back to the bowler

Swann back on to try and break this, er, niggly partnership

end of over 1514 runs
AFG: 64/8CRR: 4.26 RRR: 26.60
Gulbadin Naib35 (24b 3x4 3x6)
Shapoor Zadran3 (14b)
Jade Dernbach 2-0-16-1
Stuart Broad 3-1-10-2

That's why everyone loves to watch Afghanistan. They've almost reached Kenya's low-water mark of 67, too

14.6
6
Dernbach to Gulbadin, SIX runs

short ball, wide of off, steps back and crunched< over deep midwicket, that's gone a long way

14.5
6
Dernbach to Gulbadin, SIX runs

pitched up outside off and smacked dismissively back over long-off for six! Now, if only they hadn't lost those eight early wickets...

14.4
Dernbach to Gulbadin, no run

slower ball, outside off, completely dupes Gulbodin who had wound up for the big one and nearly fell over as he stepped outside leg to wait for it

"I am wondering if still the warm up games are going on..." chirps Mitesh, "believe the real tournament starts tomorrow. Hope it does!"

14.3
1
Dernbach to Shapoor, 1 run

back of a length, steered towards third man to get off the strike

14.2
1
Dernbach to Gulbadin, 1 run

steps away and scoops into the air, off the toe of the bat - but it lands short of Bairstow coming in from long-on

Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
LJ Wright
99 runs (55)
8 fours6 sixes
Productive shot
on side drive on front foot
25 runs
1 four3 sixes
Control
76%
Gulbadin Naib
44 runs (32)
5 fours3 sixes
Productive shot
leg glance
19 runs
3 fours1 six
Control
67%
Best performances - bowlers
SR Patel
O
3
M
0
R
6
W
2
ECO
2
SCJ Broad
O
3
M
1
R
10
W
2
ECO
3.33
Match details
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
TossAfghanistan, elected to field first
Series
Season2012/13
Player Of The Match
Match numberT20I no. 268
Hours of play (local time)19.30 start, First Session 19.30-20.50, Interval 20.50-21.10, Second Session 21.10-22.30
Match days21 September 2012 - night (20-over match)
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
PointsEngland 2, Afghanistan 0
AskESPNcricinfo Logo
Instant answers to T20 questions
Afghanistan Innings
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ICC World Twenty20

Group 1
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SL33060.998
WI3214-0.375
ENG3122-0.397
NZ3030-0.169
Group 2
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS32140.464
PAK32140.273
IND3214-0.274
SA3030-0.421
Group A
TEAMMWLPTNRR
IND22042.825
ENG21120.650
AFG2020-3.475
Group B
TEAMMWLPTNRR
AUS22042.184
WI2011-1.855
IRE2011-2.092
Group C
TEAMMWLPTNRR
SA22043.598
SL21121.852
ZIM2020-3.624
Group D
TEAMMWLPTNRR
PAK22040.706
NZ21121.150
BAN2020-1.868