Bristol (London) : David Warner’s return to the top of Australian cricket is complete with the star surviving and battling his way to an unbeaten 89 as Australia defeated minnows Afghanistan by seven wickets.
Chasing a tricky 207, the Australian opening pair of Warner and Aaron Finch laid the perfect platform. While Finch played the aggressor in his fifty, cruising to 66 off 49 balls before a false shot took his wicket.Warner was more patient — and patchy — hitting his 50 off 74 balls.
The five-time champions bowled Afghanistan out for 207 in 38.2 overs on a warm day in Bristol and then made steady progress, reaching their target with more than 15 overs to spare, with Warner 89 not out.
Earlier, Naib took the bold decision to bat in warm conditions in the southwest of England, hoping to post a score his spin bowlers could defend on the small ground.
Rank outsiders Afghanistan were again wobbling badly at 77 for five but Najibullah Zadran took the fight to his illustrious opponents, smashing 20 runs in four balls off Zampa, including successive sixes.
Zadran brought up his fifty off 46 balls with an edge over the slips off a sharp Mitchell Starc bouncer but was dismissed for 51.
Rashid Khan enjoyed a late flourish but Afghanistan were all out with more than 11 overs of their innings remaining.
