Shapoor Zadran is glowering from the top of his run-up. Craig Kieswetter takes guard. Here we go...

7.25pm: Anthems done, we're about to get going. Here's a rare thing - an Aussie with a self-deprecating tone: "Could Afghanistan cause the second major upset of this tournament?" wonders Mark Knopkiss. "Which was the first one? Australia beating Ireland of course!

7.20pm: "Frankly despite how much I want a close contest I don't see one here," chirps Grumpy Happy. "Clearly the English bowling is much better than India's and they are really good at consistent short bowling. Handling the Afgan bowling should not be an issue anyhow. Eng 160-170, Afgan 110-125."

At the very least, let's hope Afghanistan have been practising catching bars of soap for the last two days. The only shock today might be that they hold on to a dolly or two.

7.15pm/2.45pm: Okay, so I've changed my watch to Sri Lanka time, you can all stop emailing. What we can agree on is that we're 15 minutes from the first ball.

Here's Amr: "@Mark - right I dont think it will be that close ... watch for an EASY upset by the Afghans."

And you can almost hear Gonzo tickling his tummy as he wrote this: "It's a bit premature of some to write off England, I think they could give the Afghans a bit of a scare here."

7.10pm: England, then, have been asked to make the running - which is not a task they're especially good at. A quick pitch will suit the likes of Kieswetter, Morgan and Buttler better than one where they have to nurdle it around, you feel ... After seeing Afghanistan tenaciously chase India's 159 on Wednesday, they'll probably want a few more than that for comfort.

Mark Kidger, meanwhile, is not buying my attempts to channel Jack and the Giant Beanstalk: "I don't think that it will be that close! Sorry!"

7.01pm: Afghanistan have won the toss and chose to bowl, they've made one change to the team that narrowly lost to India, with Izatullah Dawlatzai replacing Najibullah Zadran. Stuart Broad says he would have bowled first too. England, as predicted, have flexed their fast-bowling muscles and deployed Broad, Steven Finn and Jade Dernbach, with no room for Danny Briggs.

Afghanistan 1 Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2 Nawroz Mangal (capt), 3 Karim Sadiq, 4 Asghar Stanikzai, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Samiullah Shenwari, 7 Shafiqullah, 8 Gulbodin Naib, 9 Izatullah Dawlatzai, 10 Dawlat Zadran, 11 Shapoor Zadran

England 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Luke Wright, 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Stuart Broad (capt), 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Steven Finn, 11 Jade Dernbach

7pm: We should be heading out for the toss shortly, when we'll get news of the teams. Afghanistan are the heart-warming story in international cricket of recent times ... Can they pull off what would be their greatest feat and scalp the world's No. 1 T20I side?

"England to win. Afghanistan to do well. That is what the vast majority of England fans will want. Hoping for a good start." But how close a game can your heart take, Mark Kidger?

6.50pm: Looks like a cool and clear night in Colombo, so should be good conditions for a right ding dong. We know Afghanistan flay to win but it sounds as if England are going to go for pace and bounce rather than the subtlety of an extra spinner - expect something at some point to go "bang".

6.45pm: Hello everybody - it's the World T20! Can you feel the sherbet fizzing through your veins? Granted, apart from Brendon McCullum's 123 (easy as ABC), we've not had much in the way of Starburst (or Opal Fruits, if you're old skool) so far but today, at the R Premadasa, defending champions England go toe-to-toe with man's best friend, the underdogs, Afghanistan. Like a diabetic in a sweet shop, what could possibly go wrong?

I'm Alan Gardner and I'll be your sugar-rush dealer. The weather is grey and grouchy in Hammersmith but, as soon as we get some pictures from Colombo, I'll bring you a more helpful update. Until then, get yourself in the mood with our match preview; George Dobell's take on England's tournament chances; and David Hopps' piece on Stuart Broad, the battle-scarred leader (and if you though cricinfo's UK editor didn't know who Arizona post-punk rockers Jimmy Eat World are, you're wrong).

0.1

Shapoor Zadran to Kieswetter, no run, over the wicket, pushed across on a length towards off stump, and this stays low as Kieswetter shoulders arms, bobbling through to the keeper

So much for pace and trampoline bounce...

0.2

Shapoor Zadran to Kieswetter, no run, length ball outside the line of off, Kieswetter watches it through again

0.3

Shapoor Zadran to Kieswetter, no run, tighter line to the stumps, the batsman gets forward in defence

0.4

Shapoor Zadran to Kieswetter, no run, length ball around the line of off, backs away and chops to cover, no run there

0.5

Shapoor Zadran to Kieswetter, no run, pitched up a little more, half forward and punched to mid-on, not a clean strike and that's another dot ball for Zadran

0.6

Shapoor Zadran to Kieswetter, OUT, gone, played on! Zadran's arms are outspread in celebration and Kieswetter trudges off after seeing out a wicket maiden to open the match! This one did bounce a bit, the batsman stayed back, tried to open the face and use the pace on the ball and ended up blocking down into the ground in front of the stumps, the ball flicking off the bails on its way back up

C Kieswetter b Shapoor Zadran 0 (4m 6b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Hmmm. So, everyone's still confident that England are going to breeze this, right?

Dawlat Zadran steaming in from the other end

1.1

Dawlat Zadran to Hales, FOUR, length ball, seaming away off the pitch, Hales flashes and gets a BIG outside edge over first slip for four, the first runs of the innings

1.2

Dawlat Zadran to Hales, no run, movement away from the right-hander again, draws Hales into another false stroke and beats the bat

1.3

Dawlat Zadran to Hales, no run, pitched up, slightly fuller, pushed into the covers on the front foot

1.4

Dawlat Zadran to Hales, 1 run, pandemonium already, Hales tips and runs to mid-off where Mangal picks up and misses with his throw at the bowler's end - would have been gone!

First ball for Luke Wright, the No. 3

1.5

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, no run, back of a length at the batsman, sits in the crease and blocks

1.6

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, no run, there's definitely some juice in this pitch, Wright hit on the glove as one rears off a length, he manages to jab it towards point

"I can not believe Afghanistan is a qualifier... They are bowling like one of the top full member teams..." Just wait till you see them bat, Ben

2.1

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, no run, back of a length, slightly outside off, Hales tries to swivel pull but fails to connect

2.2

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, no run, length ball, pushed across and chopped to point, excellent diving stop means that Zadran still hasn't conceded a run

2.3

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, no run, touch full, outside off and drawing Hales into the draw, connects with a crisp shot but again picks out the man at cover - another dot

2.4

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, 1 run, good length in the corridor outside off, pushed into the ground, slightly wide of mid-off and they hurry through for one

2.5

Shapoor Zadran to Wright, no run, another one stays low as Wright swings and misses outside off

2.6

Shapoor Zadran to Wright, FOUR, he connects this time, smiting the ball low between point and cover, it slows up on its way to rope but Wright is off the mark

"Yes it is going to be a breeze!" yelps Liam Hubbard. "All you commentators stop having hate for the English team!" Love and hate are such similar emotions, Liam. Don't you agree?

3.1

Dawlat Zadran to Hales, no run, length ball outside off, jabbed short into the off side, "No!" bawls Hales

3.2

Dawlat Zadran to Hales, 1 run, short this time and at the man, pulled low through square leg for one

3.3

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, FOUR, crump, that's gone! Dawlat dug the ball in but Wright was quickly back and in position to roundhouse the ball over midwicket and away for another boundary

3.4

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, no run, top response from the bowler, filleting Wright with one that leaps off a length and goes between bat and body and over the stumps

3.5

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, no run, length ball outside off, zips off the pitch as Wright advances and attempts to hit him into the Indian Ocean, only to fail to connect

Twice Dawlat loses his run-up ... Possibly starting from the wrong mark

3.6

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, no run, he gets it right now, full and wide and the ball stays low, Wright hacks off the back foot and under-edges low through to the keeper

"How come i only get nervous when playing an associate member?" chitters Matt Wozniak. "Do not get nervous against Pakistan or Australia, but chewing nails now!"

4.1

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, 4 byes, woof, that's leapt off the pitch, over Hales attempted pull shot, over the keeper's outstretched hand and away for byes

4.2

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, FOUR, short and wide and drilled in front of point off the back foot, meaty swing of the bat from Hales

4.3

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, FOUR, too full on leg stump this time, flicked on the 45 and the fielder on the edge of the circle can't quite get there, four more

4.4

Shapoor Zadran to Hales, 1 run, length ball, tucked towards mid-off for one

4.5

Shapoor Zadran to Wright, FOUR, full of a length and outside off, Wright stuffs this back down the ground past mid-off, so fine it almost clocked Hales on the box on its way back

4.6

Shapoor Zadran to Wright, SIX, oh, that's gone a long way, steps out and cream-crackers an overpitched delivery over long-on, Wright's Popeye forearms doing maximum damage

That over has redressed the balance a little. Shapoor just losing his length a touch...

First bowling change, with Izatullah Dawlatzai on for Dawlat (got that?)

5.1

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Hales, 1 run, length ball outside off, chopped past his stumps wafting away from the body and it rolls to short fine leg

5.2

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, no run, beats Wright's loose prod outside the line of off

5.3

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, FOUR, pitched up outside off, crashed low through point, opens the face and the ball skitters away to the rope

5.4

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, 1 run, length ball, pushed into the covers coming forward

5.5

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Hales, FOUR, touch full, on the stumps and that's a nice pace for Hales to lofted four back down the ground, back over the bowler's head

5.6

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Hales, FOUR, full and straight and again drilled back down the ground, excellent timing from Hales, slight readjustment and pinged fine past mid-on

On comes the legspinner Samiullah Shenwari

"I think there's a problem with the commentary," chuckles J. Michael Hammond, "the first over and the fifth over clearly cannot be from the same match .. ?"

6.1

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 1 run, tossed up outside off, cut through point to the man on the rope

6.2

Samiullah Shenwari to Hales, no run, pushed back to the bowler from in front of the stumps

6.3

Samiullah Shenwari to Hales, no run, googly this time, Hales just gets his bat down in time and chops the ball away from in front of the wicket

6.4

Samiullah Shenwari to Hales, 1 run, pushed back past the bowler on the front foot for one

6.5

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, no run, tossed up around off stump, gets forward and blocks

6.6

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 2 runs, touch short this time, Wright pulls through midwicket, not fully timed but it's between two men and they scamper a second

So, England have hit 37 runs from two overs; and 19 from the other five. How's that for a Manhatten?

Another slow bowler on, Karim Sadiq

7.1

Karim Sadiq to Hales, no run, round the wicket, misses with a swish outside off

7.2

Karim Sadiq to Hales, no run, tossed up and pushed back down the wicket

7.3

Karim Sadiq to Hales, 2 runs, turned into the leg side, they push hard and get one, Sadiq then tries to flick the ball at the stumps blind and they pick up another as it rolls away

7.4

Karim Sadiq to Hales, 1 run, on the stumps, flicked through leg

7.5

Karim Sadiq to Wright, 1 run, tossed up, plays across the line and gets a leading edge that loops in front of extra-cover

7.6

Karim Sadiq to Hales, no run, pushed through outside off, stays low and disappears under the bat as Hales tries to pull

8.1

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 2 runs, tossed up outside off, sliced high over the infield and it falls safe out towards deep cover

8.2

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, no run, pushed through outside off, plays and misses with an angled bat

8.3

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, FOUR, floated up and Wright skips out, blaps the ball straight back down the ground for four to long-on

8.4

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 1 run, length ball outside off stump, pushed through the covers

8.5

Samiullah Shenwari to Hales, no run, leg stump line, tries to hammer this off the pads but fails to connect

8.6

Samiullah Shenwari to Hales, 2 runs, floated towards leg stump again, flicked through backward square and they get back for a couple

9.1

Karim Sadiq to Wright, OUT, full and Wright attacks, drives low back down the track and hits the stumps ... Sadiq got a finger on it, though, and Hales is on his way, run-out backing up! That's unfortunate but sharp work from Sadiq, who got down quickly and just got a touch on the ball as it bounced up and into the top of middle stump

AD Hales run out 31 (39m 27b 5x4 0x6) SR: 114.81

9.2

Karim Sadiq to Wright, 1 run, legspinner, outside the line of off, cuts and a thick edge squirts to short third man, who does well to stop it skipping past him

Eoin Morgan is England's No. 4

9.3

Karim Sadiq to Morgan, 1 run, back of a length, outside off, pulled through leg for one

9.4

Karim Sadiq to Wright, 2 runs, on the pads, flicked through backward square leg this time

9.5

Karim Sadiq to Wright, no run, short of a length, pitched outside leg from around the wicket, Wright misses with a fiddle and is hit on the pad

9.6

Karim Sadiq to Wright, 1 run, pushed through, bit of bounce, flipped in the air through square leg

"The English looking almost clueless against the Afghan spinners...now, bring on Mendis." Shiva with the tactical masterstroke

10.1

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 1 run, tossed up outside off, pushed through the covers for one

10.2

Samiullah Shenwari to Morgan, 1 run, rolled out on middle and off, Morgan reverses the wrists and sweeps through point, not a great connection but they get one

10.3

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, no run, beats Wright's flashing blade outside off with the regulation legbreak

10.4

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 1 run, straighter line, goes back and chops towards point, it's not straight at the man and they're able to steal one

10.5

Samiullah Shenwari to Morgan, 1 run, floated up on the stumps, Morgan chips over mid-on with his four iron to the man at wide long-on on the bounce

10.6

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 1 run, pushed through on leg stump, worked off the pads through square leg

England, despite the early scares, have a decent platform here. Of course, we've all seen a decent platform fall out from under England's feet before...

Mohammad Nabi on for a spell

11.1

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, 1 run, back of a length, dropped short of point for one

11.2

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, no run, round the wicket, goes back and plays short on the off side where it's quickly fielded

11.3

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, 1 leg bye, slides through one through, goes on with the arm and hits Morgan on the pad - heading down leg through, and it deflects away to short third mna

11.4

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, 1 run, drags his length down as Wright leaves the crease, waits on it and then taps to long-on

11.5

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, 1 wide, drifts too far down the leg side this time

11.5

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, no run, tossed up on the stumps, worked back down the pitch, can't beat the bowler

11.6

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, 1 run, floated up, bit of air and straightening around off, Morgan crouches to pull through square

12.1

Samiullah Shenwari to Morgan, 1 run, tossed up on the legs and flicked through midwicket, closing the bat face

12.2

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, SIX, over the wicket now from Sadiq and over the rope by Wright! It was tossed up on leg stump, Wright cleared space and boffed it high back down the ground - that landed pretty much in the front row of seats

12.3

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, 1 run, pushed through a little quicker on the pads, tucked square - that's fifty for Wright

12.4

Samiullah Shenwari to Morgan, 2 runs, short of a length, pulled hard behind square leg and the fielder on the boundary makes a sliding stop to prevent four

12.5

Samiullah Shenwari to Morgan, 1 run, pushed down the ground to long-on

12.6

Samiullah Shenwari to Wright, FOUR, flighted outside off, agricultural heave towards an agricultural part of the ground, the ball skipping away to the rope at cow corner

13.1

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, 1 run, round the wicket, short and wide, slapped through point to the sweeper

13.2

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, 1 run, full and outside the line of off, gets down on one knee and sweeps hard and low through square leg

13.3

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, 1 run, tossed up a bit more, pushed into a gap on the off side

13.4

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, 1 run, slower, looping delivery from Nabi, as Wright again advances, has to wait and taps through the covers for one

13.5

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, no run, full and outside off, Morgan is beaten in the flight and the ball pops out on the leg side as he brings the bat down at an awkward angle

13.6

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, 2 runs, shorter length, slow pace again, Morgan lofts over extra-cover to the sweeper

Here's UV: "Who do you think the Indian supporters will be rooting for this game? They might love to see an upset because of the spirit being displayed by Afghanistan but at the back of their head they know very well that an Afghanistan win will force India to win against a very good England side to keep the run-rate and other calculations out of the equation and qualify cleanly to Super 8s. Tough Choice!!!"

Dawlat comes back on as the death overs loom

14.1

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, 1 run, pitched up full and fast, clipped off the pads to deep square leg

14.2

Dawlat Zadran to Morgan, 1 run, pitched up on the stumps, punched down the ground

14.3

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, no run, wide on the crease, slower ball, well outside off, bobbles through low as Wright carves a constellation above it

14.4

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, 1 run, back of a length, takes the pace off again, steered to third man

14.5

Dawlat Zadran to Morgan, 1 leg bye, Morgan steps away and goes on the walk, Dawlat follows him, digs it in at the man and the batsman can only deflect it short towards point

14.6

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, no run, slower ball again, touch of the Dernbachs as it comes out the back of the hand, Wright picked up but slammed his drive straight back at the bowler, its hits Dawlat's boot and deflects to mid-off - dot ball and a grin from Dawlat

Good over for Afghanistan. They'll need to end the innings how they started if they're to keep things competitive

15.1

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, SIX, flighted on leg stump, barely a flick of the wrists from Morgan but that's gone miles over deep midwicket for six!

15.2

Mohammad Nabi to Morgan, 1 run, flighted on the stumps, squirted through square on the off side

15.3

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, FOUR, reverses the grip, has to wait on a slow offbreak that sits up, Wright swipes it towards short fine leg and the ball spins and evades the fielder, running through his legs and away for four

15.4

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, SIX, another maximum, a full-blooded mow outside off, not the cleanest of connections but it came off the middle of the edge and flew over long-off

15.5

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, FOUR, chopped into the leg side, out toward deep midwicket, who is foxed by the bounce and the ball spins off his fingertips and on to the ropes

15.6

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, 1 run, tossed up and swiped through midwicket for a single

Luke Wright now has his best T20I score. His previous? 71 made against Netherlands in 2009 (remember who won that day)

Dawlat is replaced by Dawlatzai

16.1

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, 1 run, full and straight, bump balled back down the ground to long-on

16.2

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Morgan, 2 runs, pitched up and hacked back down the ground, wide of long-on for a couple

16.3

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Morgan, (no ball) FOUR, lofted high extra-cover, skips out and picks the gap - and it's a no-ball. The Afghanistan ship is springing leaks all over the place

16.3

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Morgan, 1 run, skews the free hit down to third man, who drops it. Wouldn't have been out of course, but that's another shell in the field

16.4

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, 1 run, full-toss, on the stumps, bunted back past the bowler

16.5

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Morgan, no run, full and wide, angled across the left-hander, who swings and misses

16.6

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Morgan, OUT, low full-toss, doesn't connect with a flail across the line and the ball loops to midwicket - he takes the catch, people, he takes the catch!

EJG Morgan c Nawroz Mangal b Izatullah Dawlatzai 27 (31m 23b 1x4 1x6) SR: 117.39

Mohammad Nabi on to bowl to the new man, Jos Buttler

17.1

Mohammad Nabi to Buttler, no run, looped up around the line of off, Buttler tries to reverse paddle straight away and ends up being hit on the grille

17.2

Mohammad Nabi to Buttler, 2 wides, speared down the leg side as Buttler advances, Shahzad can't take it cleanly - could have been a stumping chance

17.2

Mohammad Nabi to Wright, 1 run, dropped, miscues a heave outside the line of off, the ball loops off the edge towards short third man, where Dawlatzai juggles like a circus act before putting the chance down!

17.3

Mohammad Nabi to Buttler, FOUR, tossed up outside off and creamed low through extra-cover, the ball rifled to the rope

17.4

Mohammad Nabi to Buttler, 2 runs, tight line, opens the face and thins one fine past the keeper

17.5

Mohammad Nabi to Buttler, FOUR, full and outside off, picked up and blazed over cover for four more, such clean striking from Buttler

17.6

Mohammad Nabi to Buttler, 1 run, full and outside the line of off, squirted down the ground to long-off

Cross-platform synergy department: Sebastian Vettel was quickest in today's practice for the Singapore Grand Prix with Jenson Button hot on his tail. For reports, photos and the much-discussed and ever-popular pit babes gallery, check out ESPN F1.

18.1

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Buttler, FOUR, dug in at the man and Buttler serves this up over deep midwicket for a one-bounce four

18.2

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Buttler, OUT, length ball, at the stumps, Buttler clears the front leg ... and is hit on the back pad in front of leg! Taufel raises the finger and Buttler's brief flicker is snuffed out, Dawlatzai going some way to atoning for his drop in the previous over

JC Buttler lbw b Izatullah Dawlatzai 15 (8m 7b 3x4 0x6) SR: 214.28

Jonny Bairstow is the new batsman

18.3

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Bairstow, (no ball) SIX, pitched up, over-stepped and Bairstow tees off first ball, dumping the bowler back over long-on!

Free hit coming up, then

18.3

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Bairstow, (no ball) 1 run, another no-ball, bunted low down the ground for one

Wright on strike for the free hit this time

18.3

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, SIX, pitched up on the stumps, steps across outside off and swings the ball high to deep midwicket, where Stankikzai, I think, takes the catch (which won't count) and then steps on the rope to concede six! If it's not one thing, it's the other for Afghanistan's fielders!

18.4

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, SIX, pitched up and smashed over long-off, Wright is seeing it like a beach ball now

18.5

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, SIX, full and straight and right in Wright's slot again, he cashes in, mullering another straight slog down the ground, it lands metres beyond the boundary rope at long-on

18.6

Izatullah Dawlatzai to Wright, 1 run, dragged short, maybe a touch slower, pulled low towards deep square leg for one

And just like Wayne Parnell a week or so ago, Dawlatzai has conceded 32 off an over - one more left for England to really put the tin lid on it

Dawlat is the victim bowler for the final over. Can Wright be the second man to get to three figures today?

19.1

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, 1 run, full bunger, Wright can't get under it and clatters the ball low down the ground to long-on

19.2

Dawlat Zadran to Bairstow, FOUR, pitched up on the stumps, Bairstow scoops h-i-g-h into the leg side, it lands between deep midwicket and wide long-on and bounces over the rope

19.3

Dawlat Zadran to Bairstow, 1 run, steps away and heaves a short-of-a-length ball down the ground, baseball style

19.4

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, 1 run, pitched up, tailing in towards leg stump, good ball from Dawlat and Wright chops it on to his front pad and it rolls away on the off side

19.5

Dawlat Zadran to Bairstow, OUT, slower ball, full and at the stumps, clears the front foot and miscued towards long-on, who takes a solid running catch - the batsmen crossed, though, so Wright will be on strike

JM Bairstow c Karim Sadiq b Dawlat Zadran 12 (10m 5b 1x4 1x6) SR: 240.00

Patel in at the non-striker's end. All he has to do is run (I know, I know)...

19.6

Dawlat Zadran to Wright, 2 runs, low full-toss, gets under it but the ball comes off the bottom part of the bat, loops out towards wide long-on but the fielder gets round, so they can only scamper two and Wright is stuck on 99 not out!

9pm/4.30pm: Well, it didn't look like going that way after the first four overs, did it? Wright played superbly and 14 boundaries, including six sixes, tells its own story - by ending on 99, he equals the highest score by an Englishman in T20 internationals (Alex Hales set the record earlier this year). Afghanistan again paid dearly for some sloppiness in the field but England frequently threw the punches you expect of champions, making the highest score so far in this embryonic tournament. Afghanistan will have to land a few early haymakers if they're going to get close ... but that's just how they like it. See you in 10 for the reply.