Openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul powered India to 66 run win over Afghanistan in match number 33 of ICC T20 World Cup 2021 at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on November 3.
Needed 211 runs to win, Afghanistan could manage just 144/7 in 20 overs.
Afghanistan lost both of its openers for the team score of 13 runs in 3.1 overs.
Afghanistan lost 5 wickets for just 69 runs in 11.5 overs.
Karim Janat 42 not out (22 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Mohammad Nabi 35 runs (32 balls, 2 fours, 1 six) were the only batsmen to put up some resistance with the bat for Afghanistan. The duo put up 57 runs for sixth wicket, which was the only notable partnership for Afghanistan.
Indian bowlers were also at their best after poor show in the first two games. Comeback man Ravichandran Ashwin (14/2 off 4 overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (25/1 off 4 overs) were the pick of the bowlers for India.
Mohammed Shami (32/3 off 4 overs) and Ravindra Jadeja (19/1 off 3 overs) were the other bowlers to pick wickets for India.
Earlier, Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi won the toss and invited Virat Kohli-led Team India to bat.
Needed to win the match with a huge margin to stay in the hunt for a place in the semifinals, India put up their best performance in the tournament. In the process, India also put up the highest total of the tournament by any team.
India scored 210/2 in 20 overs, thanks to 140 run (88 balls) partnership for the first wicket between Rohit Sharma 74 runs (47 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) and KL Rahul 69 runs (48 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes).
Their opening partnership was best ever for any wicket for India in T20 World Cups.
Hardik Pandya 35 not out (13 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) and Rishabh Pant 27 not out (13 balls, 1 four, 3 sixes) made good use of the start and smashed the bowlers all around the park in the end overs.
The duo put on a partnership of 63 runs off 22 balls for the third wicket.
Afghanistan’s best bowler Rashid Khan (36/0 off 4 overs) was also taken for runs by the Indian batsmen.
Karim Janat (7/1 off 1 over) and Gulbadin Naib (39/1 off 4 overs) were the successful bowlers for Afghanistan.
Rohit Sharma was adjudged Man of the Match for his knock of 74 runs (47 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes).
India playing XI:
Virat Kohli (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur.
Afghanistan playing XI:
Mohammad Nabi (Captain), Mohammad Shahzad (Wicketkeeper), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Hazratullah Zazai, Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf.
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Rohit, Rahul power India to 66 run win over Afghanistan; score 144/7 in 20 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 81 runs in 6 balls; score 130/7 in 19 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan lose Rashid Khan; score 127/7 in 18.3 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan lose Mohammad Nabi; score 126/6 in 18.1 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 86 runs in 12 balls; score 125/5 in 18 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 102 runs in 18 balls; score 109/5 in 17 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 113 runs in 24 balls; score 98/5 in 16 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 123 runs in 30 balls; score 88/5 in 15 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 126 runs in 36 balls; score 85/5 in 14 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 131 runs in 42 balls; score 80/5 in 13 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 141 runs in 48 balls; score 70/5 in 12 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan lose Najibullah Zadran; score 69/5 in 11.5 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan need 145 runs in 54 balls; score 66/4 in 11 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 61/4 in 10 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan lose Gulbadin Naib; 59/4 in 9.3 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 58/3 in 9 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 51/3 in 8 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 49/3 in 7 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan lose Rahmanullah Gurbaz; 48/3 in 6.5 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 47/2 in 6 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 38/2 in 5 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 17/2 in 4 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan lose Hazratullah Zazai; 13/2 in 3.1 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan lose Mohammad Shahzad; 13/1 in 3 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 12/0 in 2 overs
ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Ind vs Afg: Afghanistan 5/0 after 1st over
Afghanistan need 211 runs to win against India in match number 33 of ICC T20 World Cup 2021 at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on November 3.
Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi won the toss and invited Virat Kohli-led Team India to bat.
Needed to win the match with a huge margin to stay in the hunt for a place in the semifinals, India put up their best performance in the tournament. In the process, India also put up the highest total of the tournament on board by any team.
India scored 210/2 in 20 overs, thanks to 140 run partnership for the first wicket between Rohit Sharma 74 runs (47 balls, 8 fours, 3 sixes) and KL Rahul 69 runs (48 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes).
Hardik Pandya 35 not out (13 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) and Rishabh Pant 27 not out (13 balls, 1 four, 3 sixes) made good use of the start and smashed the bowlers all around the park in the end overs.
Afghanistan’s best bowler Rashid Khan (36/0 off 4 overs) was also taken for runs by the Indian batsmen.
Karim Janat (7/1 off 1 over) and Gulbadin Naib (39/1 off 4 overs) were the successful bowlers for Afghanistan.
India playing XI:
Virat Kohli (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami and Shardul Thakur.
Afghanistan playing XI:
Mohammad Nabi (Captain), Mohammad Shahzad (Wicketkeeper), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Hazratullah Zazai, Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan and Sharafuddin Ashraf.
