Jofra Archer’s Cunning Off-Cutter Cuts Short Travis Head’s Innings, Australia Still Post Record Powerplay Score

Jofra Archer proved his worth with a cunning dismissal of Australian opener Travis Head, halting his aggressive knock during a high-scoring Powerplay in their T20 World Cup clash against England. While Head’s dismissal checked Australia’s momentum momentarily, they still managed to set a new T20 World Cup https://www.cricadium.com/tag/icc-t20-world-cup-2024record for the highest Powerplay score.

England Opts to Field First, But Openers Have Other Ideas

England captain Jos Buttler, winning the toss, decided to field first, hoping to take advantage of a pitch known for its slow nature. However, Australian openers David Warner and Travis Head had a different plan in mind.

England began their bowling attack with Moeen Ali, who managed to restrict the Australian openers in the first over, conceding only 3 runs. Buttler, aiming to capitalize on the sluggish pitch, introduced Will Jacks for the second over. This gamble backfired spectacularly as Head launched a brutal assault on the young spinner, smashing consecutive sixes off the first two deliveries. Warner joined the party, adding another six to the mix, propelling them to a massive 22-run over.

Archer Strikes Back with a Deceptive Delivery

Jofra Archer entered the attack in the third over, aiming to curb the Australian onslaught. He managed a respectable 8 runs conceded, but the damage had already been done. The belligerent Australian batsmen continued their rampage in the fourth over, taking 22 runs off Mark Wood’s bowling.

Despite losing Warner (bowled by Moeen Ali for 39 runs off 16 balls) in the fifth over and Head (bowled by Jofra Archer for 34 runs off 14 balls) in the sixth over, Australia maintained a healthy run rate. The key dismissal came in the final over of the Powerplay, with Archer orchestrating Head’s downfall.

With Australia cruising at 74 runs and just one wicket down at 5.3 overs, Head looked poised to continue his destructive batting display. Archer, aware of the threat Head posed, upped his game. In the fourth ball of the final Powerplay over, after Head had dispatched the previous delivery for a boundary, Archer cleverly deployed an off-cutter. This change of pace deceived Head, who misjudged the slower delivery, resulting in the ball clattering onto his middle stump and ending his innings.

Watch the dismissal here: 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C79qmRfIB5S/?igsh=MWlhY3IyYXV3dXB6OA==

Record-Breaking Powerplay Despite Setback

While Archer’s dismissal of Head provided England with a much-needed breakthrough, Australia’s dominance in the Powerplay was undeniable. They reached a staggering total of 74 runs for the loss of two wickets, etching their names in the history books with the highest Powerplay score in a T20 World Cup match. 

The battle between England and Australia is far from over, but this record-breaking Powerplay sets the stage for an exciting encounter.

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