DELHI - Jasprit Bumrah returned with figures of 4-39 before Rohit Sharma scored a quickfire century and lifted India to a thumping eight-wicket victory over Afghanistan in their second ICC World Cup 2023 match.
Chasing 273, India comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and 90 balls to spare. Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan gave the hosts a flying start with an impeccable 156-run partnership. Sharma dominated the opening stand by thrashing the Afghan bowlers and soon brought up his century in just 63 balls.
Afghanistan then finally found a moment to cherish in the 19th over when their star spinner Rashid Khan got rid of Ishan Kishan, who scored a run-a-ball 47 with the help of five boundaries and two sixes. Sharma was then joined by Virat Kohli at the crease and the two veterans added 49 runs to the total together before Rashid struck again to dismiss the Indian captain, who hammered 131 off 84 balls, hitting 16 fours and five sixes.
Kohli took charge of India’s pursuit after Rohit’s dismissal and comfortably led India over the line in just 35 overs, courtesy of an unbeaten half-century. He scored 55 in 56 deliveries, hitting six boundaries. For Afghanistan, only Rashid Khan picked two wickets while the rest went wicketless.
Bumrahprovided India their first breakthrough in the seventh over at a total of 32 after Afghanistan opted to bat first. Rahmat Shah and Rahmanullah helped Afghanistan reach 63 with a brief 31-run stand before both batters fell within three deliveries. Afghanistan batters then counter-attacked to pull their team out of trouble.
Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai responded with a solid 121-run partnership for the fourth wicket, with batters reaching half-centuries. Hardik Pandya broke the stand when he bowled Omarzai at the score of 184-4. He scored 62 off 69.
Shahidi stood his ground and was involved in a 41 partnership with Mohammad Nabi before Kuldeep Yadav trapped him in front of the stumps. Shahidi top-scored for Afghanistan with an anchoring 82 off 88, featuring eight boundaries and one six. Jasprit Bumrah then dismissed Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran in the same over, reducing Afghanistan to 235-7.
However, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman added valuable 26 runs for the eighth wicket before the former became Bumrah’s fourth victim in the penultimate over. Other than Bumrah, Hardik Pandya picked two wickets while Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Yadav picked one wicket each.
