In a tight four-run victory over Afghanistan on Friday, Glenn Maxwell hit an unbeaten half-century to keep Australia in the running for the Twenty20 World Cup semifinals.To advance to the semifinals, the hosts and defending champions must now win their final Super 12 match against Sri Lanka on Saturday while their bitter rivals England lose.
The outcome assured that New Zealand, which defeated Ireland at the Adelaide Oval in the first game of the day, would secure a position in the last four from Group 1.In the face of an energetic Afghan bowling attack, Maxwell’s 32-ball 54 helped Australia reach 168-8, a score the home bowlers successfully defended by keeping the Afghans at 164-7.
