When Afghanistan soared into the final four

We review the Super 8 phase of the T20 World Cup and touch upon Afghanistan’s glorious triumph, India’s sweet win against Australia, and the hopes for the semis and final.

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Talking Points:

• Afghanistan’s historic wins over Australia and Bangladesh
• Gurbaz and Zadran – the rocks around Afghanistan’s journey
• Playing their first official cricket match to 2004 to a semi-final in 2024
• The political question around Afghanistan – and absence of public pressure
• Rohit Sharma’s assault against Australia in St Lucia
• India and South Africa thriving with their Test-quality attacks
• The mystery of Kuldeep – and his indecipherable fastish spin
• Looking ahead to the semis and final

Participants:

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

Ashoka (@ABVan)

Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo

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Buy books republished by 81allout:

War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee

Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward

The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh 

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Related:

• ‘Cricket is the only source of happiness back home’ – Ben Morse and Masoud Popalzai – CNN
• The World catches up with Australia – Gideon Haigh – Cricket et al. substack
• Perfect Imperfection for Imperfect Tournament? – Neil Manthorp – Manners-on-cricket substack
• Human rights question hangs over success story of Afghanistan’s men – Sidharth Monga – ESPNcricinfo

Lead image from here.