AUS vs AFG | Twitter chants 'instant karma' as spiderman Ikram's blinder overcomes bizarre stump antics
There are few better sights in cricket than a charged-up Afghanistan having their tails up in the field. Every ball of Australia's innings on Tuesday played like a short film in itself and things peaked when Ikram Alikhil took a potential catch of the tournament after a ball edged the stump.
Afghanistan posted their highest total in World Cup history to set Australia 292 to chase on a dry but true Wankhede surface. However, the conditions completely flipped around when the Kangaroos walked out to bat with the new Kookaburra hooping around poles while offering considerable turn to spinners at the same time. A charged-up bowling attack only added to the batter's misery as Australia was doomed to a score of 87/6 by the 18th and staring at a shocking loss. However, on a day where Azmatullah Omarzai came inches within a hattrick and Rashid Khan made hearts stop with a one-handed caught and bowled that was not to be, the best piece of action was reserved for the Afghan spinner's third over of the day.
Rashid pitched a delivery on length at off-stump to Mitchell Starc that zipped off the surface with just a hint of turn away from the southpaw. The tailender had evidently failed to read the delivery and could only meekly present a straight bat off the backfoot, hoping to somehow avoid the danger. The tactic seemed to work as the ball missed his outside edge by a whisker before firing into Ikram Alikhil's gloves but little did he know the action that was about to follow. The wicket-keeper failed to gather the pacey ball cleanly initially as it bobbed out of his gloves and away from the pitch, provoking him to instantly throw his body into a full-length dive. Even though he somehow got to the ball, it eluded his grasp once again but in a heroic effort, Alikhil clasped the ball with one hand against his chest while hanging mid-air and held on to the white rock even as he made impact with the floor.
To Starc's surprise, the umpire gave him caught behind and despite his team's dire situation the veteran failed to review the decision for there was a clear sound before the ball was caught. As Starc thus trotted off towards the pavillion, replays showed that the ball had clipped the stumps without disturbing the bails, ensuring Twitter was overwhelmed by a sea of reactions over the bizarre incident.
That was not expected!
— bhupendar jogi (@JogiBhupen85333) November 7, 2023
That was a blunder!
#AUSvsAFG #Afganistan team over excitement costs #starc wicket.... you should have taken a review... @mstarc56
— PJS 🇮🇳 (@JSPOO7) November 7, 2023
He was shocked!
Ball hit the wicket that's why the sound and starc was not sure from where that sound came
— Parshuram (@ChalaJataHu) November 7, 2023
He was confused what to do there!
After Starc's wicket
— Visheshta Jotwani 🇮🇳 (@visheshtaaa_j15) November 7, 2023
I can see some Pakistanis saying that: "Match is fixed" 😂😂
Lol
As if starc would've scored a ton.#AUSvsAFG
LOL! No!
Can we change the Starc wicket to bowled now? #AUSvsAFG
— Suprith (@sjsuppi) November 7, 2023
That grab was briliant!
Although Starc didn't edged it but that catch deserved a wicket!!!
— Aadi Gupta (@AadiGupta09) November 7, 2023
Fortune favours the brave🫡🫡#CWC23 #AFGvAUS #ikramalikhil https://t.co/Xj5Vkp1QKY
Great one!
Wicket of starc
— Anuj Kumar (@AnujKum56285685) November 7, 2023
Mmmm!
The Starc wicket pic.twitter.com/c74Ms2Ku6s
— Bex #Denly(x2)MemeTeam 🎄 (@Psychadelick69) November 7, 2023
Brain dead!
Just when i thought I've seen everything in cricket..
— 🔰Aashish Shukla🔰 (@Aashish_Shukla7) November 7, 2023
Starc didn't review the catch.. when infact the ball hit the stumps and not the bat😳#AUSvsAFG pic.twitter.com/1yHRuxvMAK
Looked good!
Fabulous catch from Ikram.. Mitchell Starc dismissed for 3.. Australia 7 wickets down..#AUSvAFG #CWC23
— रोहित जुगलान Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) November 7, 2023