The fake injury that ignited the 'spirit' of cricket debate .. again

With their Twenty20 World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, Warner and his Australian teammates watched fielders feigning hamstring injuries from a standing position, ground staff racing onto the field to put covers down before ripping them up just as quickly, and a run chase go down to the wire.

Alas, Australia has been bundled out of the Twenty20 World Cup after Afghanistan stunned Bangladesh by eight runs in a Super Eights clash which stretched well beyond midnight in Kingstown.

Afghanistan advance to a semi-final against South Africa, while England meet tournament favourites India on the other side of the draw.

And for Warner, it's all over. He is in the conversation to be known as Australia's greatest multi-format player.

Few could begrudge Afghanistan a place in the final four. They beat Australia on their way to a maiden World Cup semi-final appearance, and they pulled out all the stops to get there when it mattered on Tuesday.

A broadcast deal with Amazon means much of the tournament has slipped through the consciousness of Australian fans.

But if you saw this, you won't soon forget it.

Afghanistan needed to win to advance. Bangladesh needed to run down a target of 116 inside 12.1 overs - if it took any longer, Australia were through. And if the rain ruined the finish, Afghanistan were in the box seat.

Which is why Gulbadin Naib's mind went into overdrive as he took his place at first slip with Bangladesh behind the par score by just two runs during the chase.

Bang. It appeared, as Adam Zampa put it, to be a "rainstring".

Gulbadin went down clutching at his hamstring. Only seconds prior had Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott been willing his players to slow things down with the rain beginning to fall.

You wonder what the reaction in England would have been, for all their time spent spruiking the spirit of cricket, when Afghanistan headbutted the line to knock Australia out of the tournament.

Frustrated Afghanistan star Rashid Khan clearly didn't want to win that way, while commentator Simon Doull called the move "unacceptable".

Bangladesh batter Litton Das - seemingly his side's last hope - feigned a cramp with a laugh as he walked from the field while ground staff sprinted the other way with covers in hand.

Gulbadin's Academy Award-worthy cramp mattered little in the end. Play resumed seven minutes later, and before long he was bowling - and taking a wicket.

"Paper hamstrings and a golden arm," Doull said.

Try as he might, Litton's unbeaten 54 at the top of the order would not be enough for Bangladesh, who were all out for 105 - nine short of the revised target.

"This is the most amazing night out and it hasn't been quality stuff. It's been bizarre," Ian Smith said in commentary.

Man of the match Naveen-ul-Haq claimed the final two wickets in as many balls to finish with 4-26, sending the Afghanistan players into a frenzy.

"We have worked so hard over the past few years and we were dreaming and working for this day," Naveen-ul-Haq said. "I'm lost for words."