[Watch] Azmatullah Omarzai puts Australia in deep trouble with double strike during AFG vs AUS 2023 World Cup match
Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai pushed Australia deeper into the abyss with back-to-back wickets during their 2023 World Cup game in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 7.
The conditions at the Wankhede Stadium, especially under the lights, have been helpful for the bowlers in terms of both swing and seam, and Omarzai was right on the money to send back both David Warner and Josh Inglis.
The all-rounder had bowled a maiden over to Warner and the latter seemed visibly frustrated by it. The veteran southpaw then decided to have a premeditated hook over mid-wicket but missed the inswinger completely to see his off-stump shattered.
In the very next ball, Inglis went for a drive on the up away from the body and the ball swung just enough to take the edge straight into the hands of first slip. It was just the kind of start Afghanistan needed and Omarzai stepped up.
Here's the video of both the dismissals:
Australia got off to the worst possible start in the chase
It seemed to be a calculated effort from Afghanistan with the bat as they posted a target of 292 riding on the century from Ibrahim Zadran. Naveen got the new ball to talk and picked up the big wickets of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh.
With Fazalhaq Farooqui not playing, Afghanistan needed Omarzai's medium pace to partner Naveen's and that's exactly how things panned out.
Australia are in deep trouble and need Glenn Maxwell to bat out of his skin to take them closer to the target.
Australia XI: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
Afghanistan XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq