A year ago, Sam Curran had watched on as his teammates began their T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE, sidelined by what would soon become a hallmark of authenticity among English seam bowlers: a stress fracture of the back.
In Perth on Saturday, the Surrey all-rounder set about making up for lost time, marking a belated international tournament debut by becoming the first England men’s player to take a T20 five-for as Jos Buttler’s side began the Super 12 with a five-wicket victory over Afghanistan.
Curran, whose barber had clearly gotten the memo about making a sharp start, finished with sensational figures of 5-10 from 3.4 overs as Afghanistan were skittled for just 112 before Liam Livingstone’s 29 off 21 finished a workmanlike run chase with 11 balls to spare.
Tougher tests lie ahead. Though they eventually disappointed, Afghanistan had been fancied to cause an upset or two in favourable and familiar conditions in the UAE 12 months ago, but seem less likely to do so Down Under.
They were outclassed from the outset at Optus Stadium by an England side who, it must be remembered, routed West Indies in their opener at the last tournament and breezed through the group before falling to New Zealand in the semi-finals. Still, with ball in hand and in the field at least, this was about as convincing a start as Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott could have asked for.
The toss, so pivotal in the UAE, was never likely to be of much consequence here, with England always likely to chase and Afghanistan keen to set a target. Buttler, beaming as he led his country out as captain for the first time at a major tournament, won it and his side were already delivering a clinical display long before Curran seized the limelight with four wickets in his final six deliveries to run through the Afghanistan tail.
Mark Wood (2-23) struck with his first ball, and was clocked at 96mph with his second, his spell eventually averaging out as the fastest across four overs in T20 World Cup history as only Ibrahim Zadran (32 off 32) managed to fight fire with fire.
Chris Woakes, having overcome a fitness doubt, found early swing and, perhaps most pleasing of all, Ben Stokes impressed in getting through his full quota, meaning fellow all-rounders Moeen Ali and Livingstone were not required on a wicket not conducive to spin. Stokes finished with figures of 2-19 from four overs, not bad for a player whose last four balls at a T20 World Cup had each been clobbered for six.
Curran’s workload this summer upon his return from injury, particularly in red-ball cricket, had been managed with this day in mind, but heading into the tour of Pakistan last month his place in the first-choice XI was by no means guaranteed. Some superb performances there, however, convinced England he could be relied upon as a frontline bowler, carded here at No8 in a batting-heavy side, and a historic haul stands as early vindication of that ploy.
If England’s bowling was good, though, their catching was even better. Livingstone started what was an exhibition by covering improbable ground to remove opener Hazratullah Zazai for seven, before Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid made difficult high grabs over the shoulder look simple. Buttler’s screamer down the leg-side gave Wood his second scalp - that of captain Mohammad Nabi - and started Afghanistan’s collapse from 91-for-four to 112 all-out.
Net-run-rate has the potential to play a major part in qualification from this group, which also includes Sri Lanka, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia, particularly with rain disruption probable.
The hosts’ 89-run thrashing at the hands of the Black Caps - their heaviest defeat in T20 World Cups - earlier in the day has them on the back foot already and chasing just 113, England had the chance to make hay.
Instead, though, they stuttered as Afghanistan applied their usual squeeze. Buttler made a run-a-ball 18, while fellow opener Alex Hales was dropped twice in his 19 scored at the same rate. Stokes was bowled for just two by Nabi, who then took a catch as good as any of England’s to remove Dawid Malan. Rashid Khan did not concede a boundary off his four overs, picking up the fifth wicket of Harry Brook, and as England dawdled towards their modest target they would have been thankful for Curran’s brilliance at the back end of the Afghanistan innings once more.
