India cruised to a 47-run victory over Afghanistan in the first Group 1 match of the Super Eight stage in the International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup at Kensington Oval today.
The no. 1 world-rated team in the T20 format posted 181 for eight – their highest total of the tournament – before restricting their opponents to 134.
India’s total was built around the dynamic Suryakumar Yadav’s 53 off 28 balls and Hardik Pandya’s bold 32 from 24 balls, the pair adding 60 off 6.1 overs for the fifth wicket.
It was an important partnership after coming together at 90 for four in the 11th over in the face of a testing time from Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan.
The world-class leg-spinner claimed the important wicket of Virat Kohli for 24 – his first double-digit score of the tournament – and also added the scalps of the dangerous Rishabh Pant and Shivam Dube on the way to grabbing three for 26 in his four overs.
Fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh shared six wickets for India as Afghanistan failed to mount a serious challenge in their response.
Bumrah ended with the impressive figures of three for seven in four overs, Singh claimed three for 36 in his four overs.
Afghanistan might still have had just a semblance of a chance at the halfway point of their response, having reached 66 for three after ten overs, but as the required run-rate climbed, they lost wickets regularly in an attempt to lift the tempo. (HG)
