England, sent in to bat, piled up 196-5 after a bad start before Afghanistan were dismissed for 80 in 17.2 overs, having narrowly avoided being shot out for the lowest total ever in Twenty20 internationals.[break]
The minnows were reduced to 26-8, and in danger of falling below Kenya’s 67 against Ireland in 2008, when Gulbodin Naib and Shapoor Zadran provided unexpected resistence by adding 44 for the ninth wicket.
Naib, who came to bat at number eight, scored more than half of his team’s runs before he was last man out for 44 off 32 balls that included five fours and three sixes.
But none of the other batsmen reached double figures as Jade Dernbach, skipper Stuart Broad, Samit Patel and Graeme Swann picked up two wickets each.
Afghanistan’s second successive defeat in the tournament, they had lost to India by 23 runs on Wednesday, meant both England and India qualified for the Super Eights round from group A.
Wright hit eight fours and six sixes in the highest score by an Englishman in World Twenty20 after Craig Kieswetter was bowled by Shapoor in the first over before a run had been scored.
Wright, who was on 97 with one ball remaining, was denied a century when he managed just two runs off Dawlat Zadran. But he helped England plunder 87 runs in the last five overs.
England struggled to 15 runs in the first four overs, before the innings gained momentum when 23 runs were scored off the fifth over bowled by Shapoor.
Alex Hales helped Wright put on 69 for the second wicket before he was run out for 31 in the 10th over.
England cricket captain Stuart Broad (3rd-L) is congratulated by Afghan batsman Gulbodin Naib (3rd-R) after England’s victory in the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 21, 2012. Defending champions England knocked Afghanistan out of the World Twenty20 with a 116-run victory in the group A match in Colombo on Friday. Photo: AFP
Eoin Morgan joined Wright to add 72 for the third wicket, himself making 27 off 23 balls before he was dismissed in the 17th over attempting a big shot off Izatullah Dawlatzai.
Izatullah picked up a second wicket in his next over, trapping Jos Buttler leg-before for 15, but was then hit for three successive sixes by Wright.
Afghanistan, who had been given a pep talk by Indian great Sunil Gavaskar and Aravinda de Silva of Sri Lanka on Thursday night, never recovered after losing three wickets for 14 runs by the fourth over.
It soon became 22-5 in the sixth as Jonny Bairstow took a stunning diving catch at fine-leg off a skier from Asghar Stanikzai.
England play India in the group’s last match on Sunday.
McCullum ton razes Bangladesh
PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka, Sept 22: Brendon McCullum notched the highest individual score in all Twenty20 internationals to help New Zealand humble Bangladesh by 59 runs at Pallekele stadium Friday.
The 30-year-old right hander smashed seven sixes and 11 boundaries during his 58-ball 123 to give New Zealand, who reached 191-3 in their 20 allotted overs, a rampaging start to the group D match played under overcast conditions.[break]
McCullum´s clean hitting made it gloomy for Bangladesh who were restricted to 132-8 in their 20 overs, with Tim Southee (3-16) and Kyle Mills (3-33) sharing the spoils.
Nasir Hossain played a lone fighting hand with an impressive 39-ball 50, studded with six boundaries and a six while opener Mohammad Ashraful made 21. Shakib Al Hasan fell for 11.
It was all McCullum when New Zealand batted after being sent by Bangladesh.
McCullum hit two sixes in Abdur Razzak´s last over of the innings to go clear of South African Richard Levi´s previous highest score of 117 made against New Zealand in Hamilton earlier this year.
He fell caught off the last delivery to end Bangladesh´s miseries but not before helping New Zealand to 63 runs off the last four overs.
New Zealand lost Martin Guptill in the fourth over but McCullum ensured a big total with his ruthless slogging, hitting Hasan for two sixes in his successive overs.
He added 94 for the second wicket with James Franklin who made 35 and 78 for the third wicket Ross Taylor (14).
McCullum reached his tenth half-century off just 29 balls with the first of two successive boundaries off Ziaur Rahman and continued with the same aggression.
He was dropped on 92 before hitting two boundaries off Elias Sunny to complete his ton off 51 balls.
The knock was McCullum´s second T20 century. His first came against Australia at Christchurch in 2010.
Pakistan is the third team in the group, from which the top two will qualify for the Super Eights round.
New Zealand 191 for 3 (B McCullum 123) beat Bangladesh132 for 8 (Hossain 50, Southee 3-16, Mills 3-33) by 59 runs.
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