AFG vs AUS Ball by Ball Commentary

FOUR! Nicely done! Fractionally short but well wide outside off, Travis Head hangs back, creates room and cuts it late and wide of backward point for a boundary.

Just a smidge fuller on leg, Smith leans on and clips it across in front of square leg for one.

Dragged length on off, sitting up as well, Smith goes back and across and punches it sweetly behind deep point for a couple of runs more.

Bowled quicker and fuller around leg, Steve Smith sits down to sweep but misses. The ball thuds away off the pads and down to fine leg for a couple of leg byes.

Nagging length on fourth stump, Smith gets across and covers the line of the ball before blocking it off.

Length ball outside off, sits up a bit, Travis Head backs away and firms it down to the right of Rashid Khan at long off and comes back for the second run. 100 up for Australia in just 12 overs!

On a shortish length and around the fifth stump line, eased away square through the point region for a single by Smith.

Quicker through the air and darted in at the legs, Smith tentatively keeps it out.

This is angled in at the pads, Travis Head goes on the back foot and flicks it through backward square leg for a single.

On the shorter side and around off, punched away from the crease and straight to covers.

Good stop! On a length, sliding it onto middle, Head rocks back and punches it wide of covers where Hashmatullah Shahidi makes a diving stop.

Nagging length, angled well across off and keeping a bit low, Smith backs away to cut but is beaten.

Quick and flat, sliding on from around off, punched away from thecrease through extra cover for one.

FIFTY up for Travis Head in just 34 balls and it is a 17th ODI half-century for him. Fractionally short, angling into middle and leg, whipped away off the back foot and wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs. Ominous signs these for Afghanistan as Head has a history of taking the game away from the opposition quickly.

Slows it up but keeps it short and well outside off, Steve Smith reachs for it and hits it in front of square through covers for another single.

Another one that is just dragged down a bit and on the pads, Head rocks back and flicks it down to fine leg for one more.

Begins with a bit of a short and wide one, Smith backs away and cuts it down to deep backward point for one.

Floated up, around off, Smith comes forward and nudges it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Nagging length, outside off, Smith pushes it back to the bowler off the back foot.

Keeps it shorter, touch outside off, Smith punches it off the back foot but straight to cover.

Drags his length, around middle, Smith drops it down to mid-wicket.

Floated up, around middle, Head comes forward and pushes it to long off for a single.

In the air... but falls safe! Tossed up, around middle, Travis Head comes down the track and looks to loft it towards mid-wicket but he doesn't reach to the pitch of the ball and mistimes it in the air towards deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Leg bye! Similar length, around middle, Head looks to flick it but misses and gets hit on the front pad. He runs off for a quick single as the ball rolls away towards short fine leg.

On a good length, around middle, Head pushes it to mid off.

FOUR! THREE IN A ROW! Now, Omarzai goes for a short-of-a-length ball, around middle, Travis Head stays on the back foot and flicks it away to fine leg for another boundary.

FOUR! EDGED AND BOUNDARY! On a good length, and well outside off, Travis Head stands tall and swings at it but gets a thick outside edge that flies to the right of the keeper for another boundary.

FOUR! UP AND OVER! Omarzai rolls his fingers, on a length and outside off, Travis Head premediates to go for a big shot and he gets deceived by the lack of pace but he still goes for that lofted shot and gets it well over wide mid on for a boundary.

A sharp bouncer, angling into the body, around middle, Travis Head ducks under it.

Slider, around middle, Smith loks to flick it but gets a leading edge back to the bowler.

Similar length, around leg, Head turns it wide of square leg for a single.

Drags his length, around off, Smith knocks it down to long on for a single.

Leg bye! Flatter, full down the leg side, follows the batter, Travis Head makes room and looks to flick it but misses and gets hit on the front pad. The ball goes in the air and wide of the first slip fielder where Gulbadin Naib can't collect it and the batters run for a leg bye.

Nagging length, around leg, Travis Head makes room and just pushes it down the ground for a couple of runs. Rashid Khan runs across from long off and keeps it down to two.

Tossed up, around middle, Steve Smith comes forward and works it away to deep square leg for a single.

BEATEN! Slower length ball, outside off, Travis Head looks to slog it down the ground but gets beaten by the lack of pace.

A bit slower, on a length and in the line of the stumps, Smith uses his wrists to turn it wide of mid-wicket for a quick single.

A bit fuller and outside off, Head steers it to deep point for a single.

Hard length, around off, Travis pushes it to mid off from the back foot.

Goes fuller but on the pads, seaming in, Steve Smith leans on and flicks it away to deep square leg for a single.

Back of a length, around middle, Steve Smith get opened up and drops it down to the deck.

FOUR! SMART BATTING! Farooqi bangs in short of a length to surprise the batter, around middle and angles it into the body, Travis Head waits for it and opens the face of the bat off late to ramp it over the keeper behind the wickets for a boundary.

OUCH! Hard length, with pace, around middle, Travis Head looks to pull this but he misjudges the length and gets an inside edge. Gets hit on the box.

FOUR! WOW! HEAD IS PUTTING UP A SHOW HERE! A slower ball from Fazalhaq Farooqi and he goes fuller and wide outside off, Travis Head goes low and extends his arms to reach out to loft it inside out over cover for a boundary.

Similar length, around middle, Travis Head opens the face of the bat and looks to play it down the ground but gets it through the outer half of the bat to point.

Hard length, around middle, Head defends it off the inner half of the bat to mid on.

FOUR! THRASHED! On a good length and touch outside off, Travis Head hops up a bit to get on top of the bounce and pulls it along the ground to deep square leg for a boundary.

Nagging length, around middle and off, Smith drops it down back to the bowler. An eventful over comes to an end.

FOUR! AND ANOTHER! Omarzai goes fuller but on the pads, easy for Steve Smith as he leans on and flicks it in the gap towards mid-wicket for another boundary.

FOUR! WHAT A WAY TO GET OFF THE MARK! Back of a length, around off, Steve Smith hops up a bit and punches it away in the gap towards extra cover for a boundary.

OUT! CAUGHT! A GOOD CATCH AND THIS TIME, SHORT DEPARTS! Azmatullah Omarzai gets the deserved wicket finally as he bowls on a good length, around middle, coming in, Matthew Short leans on and looks to flick it but gets a top edge only. The ball goes towards mid on where the fielder, Gulbadin Naib runs in backwards and extends his arms to catch this over his right shoulder. Australia are 44/1.

Bangs in short of a length, around middle, Head pulls it down to deep square leg for a single.

DROPPED! WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? Back of a length, around off and middle, Matthew Short just stands tall and pulls it hard but straight to deep square leg where the substitute fielder Nangeyalia Kharote goes low and looks to catch it but he gets confused by the lights and spills down an easy catch. The batters run for a single and both of them have got a life now.

FOUR! AUSTRALIA OFF TO A FLIER HERE! Farooqi bowls it fuller and on the pads again, easy for Travis Head as he lunges and flicks it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary. The fielder should have done better to his right there and Fazalhaq Farooqi seems deflated.

On a good length, around off, Head hops up a bit and drops it down to the deck.

A bit slower around off, on a length, Head comes forward and drives it to mid off.

Full again but outside off, Head pushes it to mid off.

SIX! Rubbing salt into the wounds! Farooqi goes fuller but on the pads, easy for Travis Head as he lunges and flicks it away with the angle for a biggie at deep fine leg. The fielder is just a mere spectator.

DROPPED! On a length, around off, Travis Head presses back and pulls it but gets it through the bottom part of the bat towards mid on where Rashid Khan moves in to his left and extends his arms to catch it but the ball bursts out through his hands. HOW COSTLY WILL IT BE FOR THEM? Rashid just never got in a comfortable position and ended up going with the crocodile hands.

FOUR! EASY PICKINGS! Sprays it on the pads, fuller in length, Matthew Short lunges and flicks it away to deep backward square leg for a boundary to end the over. 14 off it.

Goes fuller this time, around middle, seaming in, Matthew Short comes forward and looks to flick it away but gets an inside edge to the pads.

SIX! PUNISHED! Hard length, around off and middle, in the arc of Matthew Short as he presses back a bit and thumps it over mid-wicket for a biggie. TOP SHOT!

BEATEN! A bit slower as he rolls his fingers, on a length, around off, comes in with the angle, Matthew Short swings at it with no foot movement and gets beaten on the inside edge as the ball zips past the off stump.

Nagging length, around middle, Short turns it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! EDGED AND BOUNDARY! Afghanistan will be disappointed with these streaky boundaries. On a good length, outside off, Matthew Short stands tall and looks to drag it to the leg side by pulling it but gets a top edge through the bottom part of the bat. The ball flies over the slip and goes for a boundary at deep third.

Nagging length, around off, Head drops it down back to the bowler.

FOUR! EASY PICKINGS THIS! Touch short by Farooqi but well outside off, offering width, Travis Head presses back and drags it by pulling towards mid-wicket for a boundary.

On a good length, around middle, seaming in, Matthew Short stands tall and looks to punch it away but gets a thick inside edge that past the leg stump to deep fine leg for a single.

WIDE! Lands it full again but down the leg side, a big inswing this time, Travis Head looks to flick it but misses. The keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz puts in a dive to his right but parries away through his hand towards short fine leg for a single. Called a wide as well.

Back of a length and outside off, Travis Head hops up and cuts it in the gap towards deep point for a couple of runs.

WIDE! A big outswinger now, fuller and wide outside off, Travis Head looks to cut it but misses. Called a wide.

FOUR LEG BYES! Goes slightly fuller and on the pads, Travis Head hops up a bit and looks to flick it but misses. The ball brushes off the pads and goes to deep fine leg for a boundary.

An appeal for LBW but is turned down by the umpire! A big inswinger and around middle and leg, Travis Head gets caught on the crease and looks to flick it but misses and gets hit on the back pad. They are not going for the review as probably it is going down leg. That swung back a long way!

Back of a length, around off, Short drops it down to cover. Just a boundary off the first over of the chase.

FOUR! EASY PICKINGS! Hard length, but down the leg side, Matthew Short presses back and helps on its way to deep fine leg for a boundary. Australia are underway.

Hard length, around middle, Short looks to punch it away towards cover but gets a thick inside edge to mid-wicket.

On a good length, around off, a hint of outswing, Short drops it down to cover.

Keeps it fuller, and outside off, Short drives it to mid off from the front foot.

Starts with a full ball, seaming away, outside off, Matthew Short comes forward and drives it through the outer half of the bat to backward point. There is a bit of misfield by the fielder but they are not going for the run. Also, Short seems to be hobbling as he did in the field and doesn't look comfortable out there.