Facing the boos and jeers together, ex-captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner returned from international cricket exile to help Australia begin its World Cup defense by dominating Afghanistan on Saturday.
As expected, the tournament opener for both teams was a mismatch, although Afghanistan kept it interesting by recovering to post 207 after losing both opening batsmen for ducks. Glenn Maxwell needed one shot after Smith's dismissal — a boundary — to lift Australia to 209/3 and a seven-wicket win with 15.1 overs to spare.
For five-time champion Australia, it was a steady start to the title defense.
Warner had a narrow escape on 19 as he scrambled to get back into his crease to avoid being run out. His scoring rate was also uncharacteristically restrained in a 96-run opening stand with skipper Aaron Finch, who hit six boundaries and four sixes in his 49-ball 66 before lofting a catch to Mujeeb Ur Rahman off Gulbadin Naib's bowling in the 17th over.
It's not like he wasn't expecting it. He reacted only by raising his bat in another direction, focused more on his road to redemption than the expected hostile reception from the largely English crowd.
Afghanistan's innings lasted 38 overs after winning the toss and batting, but it could have been worse.
The No. 10-ranked Afghans rallied around two face-saving partnerships, but clusters of wickets were costly on a ground where the short boundaries offer big scores.
Rahmat Shah (43) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (18) combined to stop the onslaught with a 51-run, third-wicket partnership until legspinner Adam Zampa took a pair of wickets.
Again, though, Afghanistan's comeback was derailed when Marcus Stoinis (2/37) claimed Naib and Najibullah caught behind attempting pull shots off short-pitched deliveries.
Smith was in the thick of the action, taking a sharp catch at short cover to dismiss Shah off Zampa's bowling and then running out Mohammad Nabi after diving at full length to cut off the single and then firing it back at the striker's end.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan: 207 all out in 38.2 overs (Najibullah Zadran 51, Rahmat Shah 43; Pat Cummins 3/40, Adam Zampa 3/60) Australia: 209/3 in 34.5 overs (David Warner 89 not out, Aaron Finch 66; Gulbadin Naib 1/32)
(With inputs from AP)
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