ABU DHABI: India defeated sloppy Afghanistan by 66 runs on Wednesday to keep their hopes high in the T20 World Cup.
Afghanistan needed a mammoth target of 211 runs to win the T20 World Cup Group 2 match against India in Abu Dhabi. The Afghans won the toss and invited India to bat first. Virat Kohli’s side pummeled the Afghan bowlers and finished at 210-2 thanks to superb half-centuries by openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. They put on an opening partnership of 140 runs for the tournament´s highest total so far.
A selection reshuffle saw Rohit Sharma moved back up to opener alongside KL Rahul, and the pair more than justified the decision with a brilliant century stand. Sharma top-scored with 74 from 47 deliveries with eight fours and three sixes before losing his wicket to Karim Janat.
Rahul made 48-ball 69 after hitting six boundaries and two sixes. Rahul soon followed his partner to the dugout after being bowled by Gulbadin Naib on a slower yorker. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant scored 27 runs and Hardik Pandya scored 35 runs and remains not out.
Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat bagged a wicket each. Naveen-ul-Haq was the most expensive bowler after he gave away 59 runs in four overs.
In response, Afghanistan managed to score only 144 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted overs. Afghanistan rarely looked like chasing it down after losing both openers but they avoided a collapse and kept the net run rate high. Karim Janat scored 42 runs from 22 balls to remain the highest scores. Mohammad Nabi scored 35 runs from 32 balls.
Indian bowler Mohammad Shami was the leading wicket-taker by securing three wickets. Ashwin grabbed two wickets while Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja got one each. Rohit Sharma was declared as the Player of the Match.
India’s World Cup future remains out of their hands, with even three wins from three to finish their Super 12 campaign not necessarily enough to secure a top-two spot.
However, if Afghanistan beat New Zealand in their final Group 2 match then the second qualification spot behind Pakistan will likely come down to Net Run Rate (NRR), with potentially India, Afghanistan and New Zealand all finishing on six points.
India are off the mark ✅#T20WorldCup | #INDvAFG | https://t.co/mxP3dOO0xw pic.twitter.com/GMu94qyzjC
— ICC (@ICC) November 3, 2021
