T20 World Cup: Sam Curran takes five-wicket haul as England fielders impress against Afghanistan

England were impeccable with their fielding against Afghanistan in their T20 World Cup Super 12 clash in Perth on Saturday, with the fielders helping England restrict Afghanistan to 112 inside 19.4 overs in their Group 1 match. Sam Curran’s five-wicket haul was a major highlight of the Afghanistan innings, with the England bowler finishing with figures of 5/10 from 3.4 overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the first to depart, in the third over, when Mark Wood struck. Gurbaz was looking to push straight, but instead got the edge en route to the keeper Jos Buttler. Mark Wood struck again in the 16th over, to get rid of Mohammad Nabi, who was once again, caught by Jos Buttler behind the wickets. But the man of the moment for England was Sam Curran, who claimed his first-ever five-wicket haul in T20Is. Curran struck for the first time in the 12th over of the innings, removing Ibrahim Zadran, who was caught by Adil Rashid at backward point. Curran then went onto take Afghanistan wickets off two consecutive balls. In the fifth ball of the 18th over, Curran removed Azmattullah who was caught by Ben Stokes at deep midwicket. The very next ball, Curran struck again getting rid of Rashid Khan as Alex Hales made no mistake with the catch at fine leg. Curran had three wickets by this time, and he returned to deliver the final over of the Afghanistan innings, with Afghanistan’s score reading 112/8 from 19 overs. After a dot ball off the first ball of the 20th, Curran scalped his fourth wicket, when he removed Usman Ghani, and he struck once again two deliveries later, in the fourth ball, removing Fazalhaq Farooqi to complete the damage on Afghanistan. With the five-fer, Curran became the first England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in T20Is.