England 142-7
Afghanistan 127-9
England beat by 15 runs
England overcame a batting collapse to beat Afghanistan by 15 runs for its second win in three matches at the World Twenty20 on Wednesday.
England was 57-6 in the 10th over and 85-7 in the 15th, but thanks to a boost from Moeen Ali (41 not out) and David Willey (20 not out), it finished on a defendable 142-7.
Willey then took 2-23 with the new ball and Ali chipped in with 1-17 as Afghanistan looks wickets frequently and could manage only 127-9 in reply.
England, which beat South Africa but lost to the West Indies, survived its early scare after electing to bat because Ali and Willey resurrected the innings after coming together at 85-7.
The left-handers steadied the innings and stepped up the run scoring, their 57-run stand including 44 runs in the last three overs, and 25 off the 19th bowled by left-arm spinner Amir Hamza.
Ali struck four fours and a six off 33 balls, while Willey smashed two sixes off 17 deliveries.
England’s innings went off track as it lost three wickets in the space of four deliveries during the sixth over bowled by offspinner Mohammad Nabi.
Nabi took a return catch to dismiss opener James Vince (22), and captain Eoin Morgan was out without scoring off the next ball as he shouldered arms to a delivery outside the off stump. Joe Root was run out two deliveries later as England slipped from 42-1 to 42-4.
Legspinners Samiuallah Shenwari and Rashid Khan kept up the pressure.
Shenwari had Jos Buttler (6) caught at cover by Nabi. Ben Stokes (7) was bowled off the inside edge off a googly from Rashid, and Chris Jordan (15) was out to a return catch.
After Ali and Willey put up their rescue act, England bowled aggressively to dismiss the challenge from Afghanistan, which fell to its third consecutive defeat.
“They play a great band of cricket,” Morgan said. “If you underperform, you can come unstuck. We didn’t adapt to the pitch. We didn’t get that right. To get up to 143, Ali and Willey played really well. And I thought we fielded well and bowled well.”
Willey dismissed Mohammad Shahzad (4) leg before wicket in the first over of the innings and Gulbadin Naib (0) in the third as the batsman tried to clear the infield but was caught at extra-cover. Afghanistan was 13-3 at that stage.
Legspinner Adil Rashid claimed two wickets while pace bowler Liam Plunkett bowled a lively spell for 4-1-12-0 to ensure Afghanistan could not come back in the game as wickets fell at regular intervals.
The batsmen failed to get big scores but No. 9 Shafiqullah produced a valiant 35 not out off 20 balls that left Afghanistan to get 24 runs off the last over bowled by Ben Stokes with only one wicket in hand.
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