World Twenty20: WI top group despite shock Afghanistan loss

ICC World Twenty20 Super 10s, Group 1, Nagpur

Afghanistan 123-7 (20 overs): Najib 48, Badree 3-14, Russell 2-23

West Indies 117-8 (20 overs): Bravo 28, Rashid 2-26, Nabi 2-26

Afghanistan won by six runs

Scorecard and standings

West Indies set up a semi-final with Australia or India despite suffering a shock six-run defeat by Afghanistan.

Batting first, Afghanistan recovered from 56-5 to post 123-7, with Najib Zadran hitting a composed unbeaten 48.

West Indies, who had won their first three matches, slumped from 79-3 to 117-8 to hand Afghanistan their biggest ever win, but still top Group 1.

The result confirms that England will play New Zealand in Delhi on Wednesday in their semi-final.

West Indies - who rested Chris Gayle for this game - will play their semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday.

Afghanistan return home having lost their first three games at this stage, but they will be buoyed by their first ever victory over a Test-playing side other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe.

Afghanistan claim their biggest scalp

It was a fully deserved win for Asghar Stanikzai's side, who had given South Africa and England major scares in their two previous matches.

They had failed to capitalise on reducing England to 56-6, but this was initially a much less promising performance as they lost early wickets to the spin of Samuel Badree and Sulieman Benn.

However, from 76-5 after 15 overs, they came to life, with Zadran swatting four fours and a six to give them something to bowl at.

On the same Nagpur pitch where New Zealand defended 126 against India, Afghanistan - playing four spinners - were always in the game.

After three early wickets, a partnership of 41 between Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin seemed to have rescued West Indies, but when Ramdin was out stumped, Afghanistan seized their chances, with Mohammed Nabi taking two wickets and bowling a nerveless final over to seal victory.

However, with only 10 teams due to participate at the 2019 World Cup, this could be the last we see of Afghanistan in a major tournament for some time.