Australia’s struggles continued as Afghanistan secured a composed three-wicket win, chasing a modest 115-run target with five balls to spare in the series opener. Despite Australia’s attempts to unsettle the visitors with a barrage of short-pitched bowling, the calm partnership between Hazratullah Zazai and Ibrahim Zadran proved decisive. Both batters showed patience and control, building a confident stand that blunted the Australian attack and left the hosts increasingly frustrated.
Among Australia’s bowlers, only Adam Zampa stands out. With an impressive bowling average of 10.4 and an economy rate of 9.9—placing him 12th globally in bolwers—he remains one of the few reliable performers. Steve Smith has also been strong with both bat and ball, holding the 8th spot in the global all-rounder rankings. Beyond them, however, the team’s numbers are grim. No other Australian batter holds an average above 20, and although six of their bowlers maintain economies under 12 (with at least 10 overs bowled), their wicket-taking ability remains worryingly low.
Australia’s batting collapses have been central to their downfall. They have been bowled out under 100 on six occasions in first innings. Their lone exception was a narrow win against England while defending 91—an anomaly in an otherwise bleak defending record. Of Australia’s last 11 defeats, nine have come while defending totals, raising serious questions about why they continue to choose batting first. Their chasing record is comparatively better: of their five total wins, three have come while chasing, and their losses while chasing include one against New Zealand in pursuit of a steep 160.
Their inconsistency was also evident in the recent India series, where a brief resurgence appeared after winning the third and fourth matches—only for a loss in the fifth to stall any momentum. Now facing Afghanistan again, Australia must quickly address their batting fragility and rethink their match strategy. With two matches remaining in the series, the question remains: can they turn things around, or will their run of misfortune continue?