‌AUS vs AFG | Twitter goes déjà vu as Johnson channels inner Starc to send Gurbaz in disbelief

ByArijit Kundu,SportsCafe Editor

02/28/2025

1636

Filling the void of an important figure on a high stage comes with immense responsibility. Spencer Johnson had the big job of replacing Mitchell Starc in the 2025 Champions Trophy and mirrored an exact delivery like him to get rid of Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the tenth match of the tournament.

Afghanistan and Australia, who shared a healthy history in the recent ICC events, were set to square off against one another for a must-win encounter. Winning the toss, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi got the opportunity to follow their winning blueprint and bat first. However, they couldn’t start the innings as expected, with Johnson capitalising on Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s lean patch and getting rid of him in the first over itself.

The left-arm pacer mixed up good length and full-pitch deliveries on the first four balls of the opening over that Gurbaz looked cautious against. Right after, the Brisbane pacer dished an in-swinging yorker at the off stump at 140 kph that the right-hander was late to jam down. The ball sneaked underneath the cue end of the blade and ricocheted onto the stumps, cleaning up Gurbaz. The wicketkeeper-batter was shattered in disbelief and the Twitterverse could relate the incident with Mitchell Starc’s iconic delivery to Ben Stokes from the history books.

WHAT A DELIVERY!!!

Spencer Johnson nails the yorker to clean up Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over 🎯

Here's how to watch #AFGvAUS pic.twitter.com/W0slcVgKfV
— Amit Kumar (@Amitjigaur) February 28, 2025

Jahnson Got Him!

One of Afghanistan's finest batters, Rahmanullah Gurbaz hasn't had the best of starts to the Champions Trophy campaign. Spencer Johnson bowls him with an inswinging yorker that would've made Mitchell Starc proud.

LIVE BLOG https://t.co/Iud66ZXGz1 pic.twitter.com/dmFoJVlpVt
— Guerilla Cricket #GCFromHome (@guerillacricket) February 28, 2025

Very poor!

Rahmanullah gurbaz in this Champions trophy :

10(14) 6(15) 0(5)#rahmanullahgurbaz #ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/yLpInZNsvj
— Cricket Short Stories (@Cricketsstories) February 28, 2025

What?!

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, what a fraud.#AFGvsAUS #ChampionsTrophy #ChampionsTrophy2025
— Devansh (@AFC_Dev17) February 28, 2025

Struggle !

Rahmat Shah gone at 12(21)

Afghanistan now 91-3#ViratKohli𓃵 #ICCChampionsTrophy2025 #RohitSharma𓃵 #BabarAzam𓃵 #CT25 #PakistanCricket #ShubmanGill #PAKvBAN #PAKvsBAN #BANvPAK #BANvsPAK #AFGvsAUS #AFGvAUS #AUSvsAFG #AUSvAFG
— SOHAIB (@S0HAIB_7) February 28, 2025

MAxiii!

The trauma Maxwell brings to them.#AFGvsAUS
— Nainaaa (@nancy_katariya) February 28, 2025

Maxwell is Back!

Maxwell strikes! Rahmat edges it straight to Inglis. Gone for 12(21).#OneTurfNews #ChampionsTrophy #AFGvsAUS #CT2025 #Cricket
— OneTurf News (@oneturf_news) February 28, 2025

Superb delivery!

Oh man Maxwell has a breakthrough, Rahmat goes too. Captain needs to step up and stitch a partnership now 🤞🏾🏏 #AFGvsAUS
— Sanskar Gemawat (@thatSanskariGuy) February 28, 2025

Breakthrough!