Afghanistan vs India, ICC Men's T20 World Cup, 2024 Full score card
Super Eight - Match 3, Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, 20 Jun, 2024
![India](https://images.tv9hindi.com/images/large_flags/india.png)
India
IND
181/8
(20.0) overs
![Afghanistan](https://images.tv9hindi.com/images/large_flags/afghanistan.png)
Afghanistan
AFG
134/10
(20.0) overs
India beat Afghanistan by 47 runs
Player Of The Match
Suryakumar Yadav,
India
![India](https://images.tv9hindi.com/images/large_flags/india.png)
Afghanistan • 134/10 (20.0 overs)
A Omarzai 26 (20)
N Zadran 19 (17)
J Bumrah 3/7 (4)
A Singh 3/36 (4)
India • 181/8 (20.0 overs)
S Yadav 53 (28)
H Pandya 32 (24)
R Khan 3/26 (4)
F Farooqi 3/33 (4)
Commentary
We are back for the all-important run chase! The umpires are back out in the middle and so are the Indian players who spread out on the field. Rahmanullah Gurbaz does come out to open the innings for Afghanistan but it will be the veteran Hazratullah Zazai to accompany him at the top in place of Ibrahim Zadran. Arshdeep Singh will get proceedings underway with the new ball. Let's play...
... The Run Chase ...
Right then, the average total at this stadium is around 160 runs and India have surpassed that by 20 or so runs which will make things even more difficult for Afghanistan. A lot depends on their charismatic opening pair but the Indian bowlers will come hard at them. Can Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran lay the foundation for a famous win? Or will Jasprit Bumrah and co prove to be too much for them? Let's find out as the run chase is up next.
The star with the bat for India, Suryakumar Yadav is up for a chat. He says that he enjoys batting in the middle overs. Adds that that is the time when the opposition tries to slow things down, but he knew that they had a few left-handers to come and tried to keep the positive intent going on. Mentions that Rohit Sharma understands his game and it is a motivation when your skipper backs your game. Ends by saying that the total is good and they will give their best to defend it.
Afghanistan will feel they have let India off the hook a bit and now face a daunting task ahead. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mohammad Nabi started off very nicely and Farooqi got rid of the Indian skipper in the third over. A dropped catch from Naveen-ul-Haq allowed Pant to keep chipping away but the skipper, Rashid Khan stepped up and got a couple of quick wickets. The spinners, however, didn't quite manage to build on and allowed the likes of Suryakumar Yadav to dominate them. Rashid did come back and pick up another wicket but it was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Farooqi who got a couple of wickets at the death and kept Afghanistan in the game. Naveen, however, wasn't all that brilliant and was costly at the death too.
A half-decent comeback by the Afghanistan pacers in the last four overs as the likes of Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi managed to pick up wickets but India will feel, they have got to a total they would have taken gladly at the start of the match. After opting to bat first, India had a sedate start to their innings and skipper Rohit Sharma looked patchy as he kept swinging at every other ball and was soon caught out. Rishabh Pant came in and provided some much-needed momentum which allowed Virat Kohli to just string along but both batters fell in quick succession. Suryakumar Yadav was positive from the very first ball and never looked to be fazed by anything and went on to score a fiery fifty before getting out. After SKY got out Hardik Pandya was able to turn a sedate start into something meaningful with a few lovely hits but he couldn't stay on till the end either. In the end, it was a small but crucial cameo from Axar Patel in the last over that took India over the 180-run mark.
Runs Scored 14 Runs
Score after 20 overs : 181/8
A Patel12 (6)
A Singh2 (2)
Naveen4-0-40-1
OUT! RUN OUT! An anti-climatic end to the innings but still 13 runs come off the last over! Naveen-ul-Haq lands this back of a length, outside off, slower too, and angles away as well, Axar Patel swings across the line but misses, Arshdeep Singh takes off to steal a bye but Axar is very late to react, Rahmanullah Gurbaz throws it to the bowler and Naveen runs to break the stumps with Axar well short of his crease. India finishes on 181/8!
Naveen-ul-Haq has to reload that one! He goes full again but way outside off, Axar Patel lets it go and gets the wide.
FOUR! You bet he can! Naveen-ul-Haq bowls this slower, full and outside off, Axar Patel opens the face of the bat at the last moment, the ball flies off the outside edge over short third man for another boundary.
Overpitched and on middle, Axar Patel drills it down the ground to the right of long on for a couple of more runs. Can Axar Patel take India to 180 here?
FOUR! A freebie and Axar Patel takes full advantage here! This is a low full toss, outside off, Axar Patel crunches it through covers and as there is not protection in the deep, the ball races away to the fence for a boundary.
Short of a length and outside off, Axar Patel cuts it uppishly but well wide of deep point for a brace.
Naveen-ul-Haq nails the wide yorker this time, outside off, Axar Patel fails to lay a bat on it.
Goes full but well outside off, Axar Patel leaves it alone. Wided.
Runs Scored 8 Runs
Score after 19 overs : 167/7
A Singh2 (2)
A Patel0 (0)
F Farooqi4-0-33-3
A low full toss, angling into the leg side, Arshdeep Singh digs it out towards square leg but Axar Patel denies the single.
Pitched up and on off, Arshdeep Singh heaves it away wide of deep square leg for a brace.
Arshdeep Singh walks out to bat now.
OUT! TAKEN! Fazalhaq Farooqi has three now! He bangs this one into the pitch, but takes all the pace off, it is going well over the head of the batter. However, Ravindra Jadeja still tries to ramp it away but miscues it off the toe-end towards wide of short third where Gulbadin Naib moves to his left and takes a nice catch. India seven down now and Afghanistan has pulled things back slightly here!
FOUR! Finds the gap! Short of a length and on middle, Ravindra Jadeja gets on top of the bounce and pulls it away perfectly between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.
Fazalhaq Farooqi nails the yorker this time, on middle, angling in, Ravindra Jadeja uses his feet but fails to dig it out and gets hit on the pads.
Back of a length and around leg, Ravindra Jadeja nudges it towards square leg and comes back for the second run. Sloppy work from the Afghanistan fielders!
Axar Patel walks in to bat now.
Runs Scored 9 Runs
Score after 18 overs : 159/6
H Pandya32 (24)
R Jadeja1 (1)
Naveen3-0-26-1
OUT! TAKEN! Naveen-ul-Haq gets his man this time! No need for a review now. Fullish delivery, outside off, keeps it out of reach for the batter, Hardik Pandya still goes after it but only manages to slice it up in the air towards sweeper covers, Azmatullah Omarzai judges it well and takes a good catch. A fiery knock from Pandya finally comes to an end!
Another big shout from the Afghans, and the finger goes up! However, Hardik Pandya has taken the review here. Naveen-ul-Haq this time goes right in the blockhole, on middle and leg, angling in, Hardik Pandya tries to heave it away but misses and gets hit on the pads. UltraEdge shows that no bat is involved and Ball Tracking indicates that it is going down the leg side, Good review from India!
For the third time in this inning, the ball seems to be lost and we will have another slight delay. It is found eventually and the play can now continue.
SIX! OUT OF THE PARK! Naveen-ul-Haq goes for the slower delivery, but serves this right in the slot, on middle, Hardik Pandya clears his front leg, uses all his power, and muscles it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. It sounded very sweet and we have lost another ball as this one goes out of the stadium. 98 METERS!
Pitches it up but way down the leg side, Hardik Pandya misses his flick. Wided.
Back of a length and outside off, Hardik Pandya cuts it straight to point.
Fuller and on off, Ravindra Jadeja goes down and sweeps it through mid-wicket for a run.
Short of a length and around off, Hardik Pandya steers it through point for a single.
Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
R Gurbaz c R Pant b J Bumrah |
11 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 137.50 |
H Zazai c R Jadeja b J Bumrah |
2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50 |
I Zadran c R Sharma b A Patel |
8 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 72.72 |
G Naib c R Pant b K Yadav |
17 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 80.95 |
A Omarzai c A Patel b R Jadeja |
26 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 130 |
N Zadran c A Singh b J Bumrah |
19 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 111.76 |
M Nabi c R Jadeja b K Yadav |
14 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 100 |
R Khan c R Jadeja b A Singh |
2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
N Ahmad c R Sharma b A Singh |
12 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 66.66 |
Naveen c R Pant b A Singh |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
F Farooqi not out | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 400 |
Extras
(b 4,lb 7,w 7,nb 1,Penalty 0) |
19 | ||||
Total
20.0 (RR: 6.70)
|
134/10 |
Did not bat:
Fall of wickets:
(R Gurbaz, 1.2 ov) (I Zadran, 3.4 ov) (H Zazai, 4.1 ov) (G Naib, 10.2 ov) (A Omarzai, 11.1 ov) (N Zadran, 15.2 ov) (M Nabi, 16.3 ov) (R Khan, 17.4 ov) (Naveen, 17.5 ov) (N Ahmad, 20 ov)Bowler | O | M | R | W | ER |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A Singh |
4 | 0 | 36 | 3 | 9.00 |
J Bumrah |
4 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1.75 |
A Patel |
3 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 5.00 |
H Pandya |
2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 6.50 |
K Yadav |
4 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 8.00 |
R Jadeja |
3 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 6.66 |
Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
R Sharma c R Khan b F Farooqi |
8 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 61.53 |
V Kohli c M Nabi b R Khan |
24 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 100 |
R Pant lbw b R Khan |
20 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 181.81 |
S Yadav c M Nabi b F Farooqi |
53 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 189.28 |
S Dube lbw b R Khan |
10 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 142.85 |
H Pandya c A Omarzai b Naveen |
32 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 133.33 |
R Jadeja c G Naib b F Farooqi |
7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 140 |
A Patel run out (R Gurbaz / Naveen) |
12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 200 |
A Singh not out | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
Extras
(b 0,lb 5,w 8,nb 0,Penalty 0) |
13 | ||||
Total
20.0 (RR: 9.05)
|
181/8 |
Did not bat: K Yadav, J Bumrah
Fall of wickets:
(R Sharma, 2.5 ov) (R Pant, 7 ov) (V Kohli, 8.3 ov) (S Dube, 10.5 ov) (S Yadav, 17 ov) (H Pandya, 18 ov) (R Jadeja, 18.4 ov) (A Patel, 20 ov)Bowler | O | M | R | W | ER |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
F Farooqi |
4 | 0 | 33 | 3 | 8.25 |
M Nabi |
3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 8.00 |
Naveen |
4 | 0 | 40 | 1 | 10.00 |
R Khan |
4 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 6.50 |
N Ahmad |
3 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 10.00 |
A Omarzai |
2 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 11.50 |
Commentary
Right then, that is it from this one-sided affair. India opens their account in the Super Eights stage while Afghanistan have it all to do in their next two games. However, the action does not stop here as we have a big clash coming up between Australia and Bangladesh on 21st June, Friday. That match will begin at 6 am (12.30 am GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up. Until then, cheers and goodbye!
Rohit Sharma, the victorious skipper of India starts by saying that over the last couple of years, they have come to the West Indies and have played a few T20Is and are familiar with the conditions. Adds that 180 was a tremendous effort by the batters and then they knew they had a class bowling lineup. Mentions that it is crucial that the likes of Surya and Hardik come to form and every individual has to do their job and applauds that partnership. On Jasprit Bumrah, says that everyone knows he is class and it is about using him smartly and Bumrah himself takes the responsibility to achieve that. On the extra spinner, he says that nothing is concrete with the playing XI and it also depends on the opposition and if the next venue offers something for the seamers, they will be open to bringing back the extra seamer.
Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan says that they knew, they would be chasing in excess of 160 but they could have been smarter with their executions. Adds that his bowling is coming off well and he is hitting the right areas, but the result matters the most. Mentions that they have enjoyed their cricket everywhere but the most important thing is the mindset. Ends by saying that they will play according to the conditions after assessing if it is a batting or bowling track.
Suryakumar Yadav is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his breezy half-century. He says that there's a lot of hard work and practice that goes into his play. Adds that he is really happy to get the win and is happy to be the first Indian batter to get the player of the match as well in this tournament. On Rashid Khan, he says that Rashid is very difficult to pick but you have to take him on and he is happy to have had the better of him in this game. Mentions that there is a game plan from the start but he plays according to the game situation and had a chat with Hardik Pandya about keeping their foot on the pedal as it would get hard to hit the ball in the death overs due to the reverse swing and the slower deliveries.
Presentation Time...
Earlier in the game, India posted a big total on the board courtesy of a fine half-century from SKY along with crucial contributions from Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel. Afghanistan were a bit off in this game with the ball and it was their skipper, Rashid Khan who was the pick of the bowler with three wickets. Fazalhaq Farooqi also got three, while Naveen-ul-Haq chipped in with one. While chasing, the Afghans came out with intent, but they kept on losing wickets in clusters that did not help them at all as they faced back-to-back defeats in this World Cup.
India, on the other hand, after a shaky first over, were all over the Afghans throughout the game. Jasprit Bumrah got rid of Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the second over. Axar followed it up by dismissing Ibrahim Zadran, while it was Bumrah again who sent Hazratullah Zazai back to the hut. They allowed a partnership to build in the middle overs but after the drinks break, it was all India once again. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja sent back both the set batters, and Afghanistan could not really recover from that. Bumrah and Kuldeep added one more to their tallies while Arshdeep Singh wrapped things up with three wickets in his last two overs.
Afghanistan needed a quick start, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a few lusty blows to put the pressure on Arshdeep. However, it all fell apart when he got out in the second over and his opening partner, Hazratullah Zazai followed suit, while Ibrahim Zadran also failed to make much of an impact After that, it was the pair of Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai who steadied the ship with a decent partnership, but the asking rate kept creeping up. They tried to up the ante, but both the set batters lost their wicket in quick succession, and they suffered a collapse afterward as no batter could stick around for much longer. In the end, they fell short by a big margin of 47 runs.
CLINICAL PERFORMANCE FROM INDIA! The bowlers were just too hot to handle for the Afghans here and the Men in Blue keeps their unbeaten streak in this World Cup intact. They were under a bit of pressure when they lost the two big guns early, but Suryakumar Yadav showed why he is the number-one ranked batter in this format, and then the entire bowling unit came to the party to register a convincing victory.
Runs Scored 8 Runs
Score after 20 overs : 134/10
N Ahmad12 (18)
F Farooqi4 (1)
A Singh4-0-36-3
OUT! CAUGHT! That's it, Arshdeep Singh gets his third wicket and India bundles out Afghanistan on the final delivery. Arshdeep runs in from over the stumps and pitches the ball up on the fifth stump line, looking to angle it across. Noor Ahmad hangs deep and goes after it trying to go over covers but the ball comes off the toe-end of the bat and doesn't travel much further away from Rohit Sharma at covers. The Indian skipper makes no error and India win the game by 47 huge runs!
WIDE! And again and that's a bit unnecessary from Arshdeep Singh putting it so much effort for nothing. Fuller in length and well outside the off stump, Rishabh Pant springs across to make the save.
WIDE! Arshdeep Singh will have to reload the final delivery here. Full and quick again, looking for the wide yorker but this is spilled beyond the tramline for a wide.
Excellent comeback delivery from Arshdeep Singh. Full and quick, nails it in the blockhole around off and Noor Ahmad fails to dig it out.
SIX! Noor Ahmad finally connects one and that is a flat six! Banged in short again over middle and leg, Noor gets on top of the bounce and muscles it off the front foot and just over the fence behind deep square leg for a biggie.
Another miss and Noor Ahmad is just swinging a bit too hard at the ball. Bowled from over the stumps and banged into the deck over of and middle. Noor tries to hang back and pull but misses the ball.
Swing and a miss! Bowled full and wide of the off stump with a bit more effort behind it. Noor Ahmad goes across to the off side and throws the kitchen sink at it but fails to connect.
Pitched up on a length and outside off, Noor Ahmad throws his hands at it and slices it up over the cover region and denies the single once again.
Runs Scored 1 Runs
Score after 19 overs : 126/9
N Ahmad6 (12)
F Farooqi4 (1)
J Bumrah4-1-7-3
Good stop from the keeper! A smidge fuller, trying to attack the pads but this is spilled down leg. Noor Ahmad gets a bit of pad on it and Rishabh Pant dives across to his left to get his gloves on it. The batters manage to scamper across for a leg bye.
On a good length around off and angling away, Noor Ahmad has a poke at it but gets beaten past the outside edge.
Back of a length and over middle, Noor Ahmad gets cramped up and mistimes the pull badly towards mid on.
On a length and around off stump again, Noor Ahmad stays put and hits it towards cover again. No single taken!
A full toss now on the off stump line, Noor Ahmad punches it away straight to the man at covers.
On a fuller length and around off stump, Noor Ahmad pushes it away towards cover.
Runs Scored 6 Runs
Score after 18 overs : 125/9
F Farooqi4 (1)
N Ahmad6 (6)
A Singh3-0-28-2
EDGED AND FOUR! Arshdeep Singh comes agonizingly close to picking up a hat-trick but it ends up being a boundary instead. Pitched up from around the stumps and trying to angle it into the off stump, Fazalhaq Farooqi looks to hang back and block but gets an outside edge that runs past the keeper and into the third man fence.
Fazalhaq Farooqi is the last man in and will face the hat-trick ball.
OUT! CAUGHT! Too hot to handle for Naveen-ul-Haq and Arshdeep Singh has got two in two now. Banged in quick and short over middle and leg, rushing onto the batter and at a difficult height. Naveen just swings at it and gets a top edge back over the keeper's head. Rishabh Pant runs back towards short fine leg and pouches it safely. Afghanistan going down in a hurry now.
Naveen-ul-Haq walks out bat now.
OUT! CAUGHT! This is bowled on the fuller side of a length ball and angled well across the off stump. Rashid Khan reaches out, gets under it and knowingly opens the bat face, looking to slice it up and over backward point. The ball is miscued a bit and goes aerial to wide third man where Ravindra Jadeja takes a simple enough catch and Arshdeep Singh also gets his name in the wickets column.
WIDE! Back to over the wicket now and bowls on a good length but well outside the off stump, Rashid Khan has a slash at it but misses.
Comes from around the stumps now and bowls a shorter delivery at the batter, Noor Ahmad gets the pull high on the bat and gets it down to long on for a run.
Goes fuller now and bowls it wider of the off stump as well, Noor Ahmad stays put and swings across the line, only managing to connect with thin air though.
A pacy delivery on the fuller side around off and angling away, Noor Ahmad stays back and looks to play at it but is late and the ball zips past the outside edge.
Runs Scored 12 Runs
Score after 17 overs : 119/7
N Ahmad5 (3)
R Khan2 (5)
K Yadav4-0-32-2
Full and around off, pushed to mid off for a quick single.
This is fired in fuller and on the legs, Noor Ahmad looks for the reverse sweep once again but almost falls over and misses it completely.
FOUR! Oh, hello! Flatter one at the stumps, Noor Ahmad brings out the reverse sweep right away and plays it nicely over backward point for a boundary.
Noor Ahmad comes out to the middle now.
OUT! TAKEN! High, high and taken in the deep! Flighted delivery, on the stumps and forcing the batter to have a go at it. Mohammad Nabi is forced to hit against the wind and towards the longer part of the ground as he tries to heave it over deep mid-wicket but gets a lot of height and not enough distance. Ravindra Jadeja settles himself just inside the ropes and takes a fine catch to his left.
SIX! High and handsome! Tossed up a bit in the slot and around off stump, Mohammad Nabi holds his shape and hammers it just over the long off fence for a biggie.
Floated up on the stumps, Rashid Khan punches the ball away wide of long off and picks up a single.
Runs Scored 6 Runs
Score after 16 overs : 107/6
R Khan1 (4)
M Nabi8 (12)
J Bumrah3-0-7-3
Full and at the stumps, Rashid Khan brings out the helicopter but can't get under it and firmly hits it to long on for just a single.
Bowled slower now and into the pitch outside off, Rashid Khan looks to play the upper cut but is well beaten.
Good length at the stumps, miscued to the man at mid-wicket. Mohammad Nabi at the other end wants the run but is sent back and a direct hit at the bowler's end keeps him on his toes.
FOUR BYES! How has that missed everything? Full and quick again, looking to spear in the yorker at leg stump. Rashid Khan stays back and attempts to jam it out and leaves a gap between the legs. The ball beats the bat and goes between the legs and past the keeper into the fine leg fence.
Rashid Khan walks out to bat now.
OUT! CAUGHT! That one was traveling quickly but Arshdeep Singh makes no mistake and Jasprit Bumrah has his third wicket. Goes full and quick and angles it across from off and middle stump, Najibullah Zadran backs away a fair bit and looks to slap it over point but doesn't quite get the elevation. Arshdeep there springs to his right and pouches it with two hands and that one must have stung the palms. Najibullah Zadran has to walk back though.
Attempted heave but badly mistimed! Starts the new spell with a hard-length delivery over the off stump, Mohammad Nabi looks to hang back and take it on but lobs it away over mid on for a single.
Runs Scored 10 Runs
Score after 15 overs : 101/5
N Zadran19 (16)
M Nabi7 (11)
H Pandya2-0-13-0
Goes fuller again, on middle, Najibullah Zadran backs away but mistimes his drive towards mid off. Afghanistan need 81 runs in the last five overs now!
Short of a length and on off, Mohammad Nabi pulls it through mid-wicket for one.
An appeal for LBW, but the umpire says no! Rohit Sharma after some discussion takes the review. This is pitched up and around middle and leg, shaping in, Najibullah Zadran misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. It looks like pitching outside leg and Ball Tracking confirms that. India lose a review!
Reviewed! A very, very late call from Rohit Sharma for the review but the third umpire is called in to check an LBW decision which was given Not Out on field. Clear gap between bat and ball and Ball Tracking shows that it was pitching outside the leg stump. It stays NOT OUT!
Hardik Pandya tries to over-compensate and bowls this fuller, but way outside the tramline, Najibullah Zadran lets it go. Wide called!
SIX! Into the stands! Hardik Pandya bangs this into the pitch again, but this one sits up nicely for the batter, Najibullah Zadran gets into a good positon and whacks it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.
A slight halt in play as Mohammad Nabi has been hit flush on the helmet and a mandatory concussion check will now follow. Nabi seems to be fine but the physio will just make sure that everything is fine. All seems fine and play can now continue.
Fiery stuff! Hardik Pandya bangs in a sharp bouncer, on middle, Mohammad Nabi gets surprised by it and misses his pull shot, the ball crashes onto the top of the helmet and lobs behind where Rishabh Pant grabs it and appeals, but it is turned down. A leg bye is taken and there will be a mandatory concussion check now.
Slower one, on a length and on off, Mohammad Nabi guides it straight to point.
Runs Scored 7 Runs
Score after 14 overs : 91/5
M Nabi6 (8)
N Zadran13 (13)
R Jadeja3-0-20-1
Flighted, full and on middle, Mohammad Nabi drives it through covers for another run. Singles won't do it for Afghanistan here, they need boundaries!
Another short delivery, on leg, Najibullah Zadran clips it towards square leg for one more.
Drags his length back, outside off, Mohammad Nabi punches it through covers for one.
Darts this one full, on leg, Najibullah Zadran tucks it through mid-wicket for a run.
Quicker, full and on the pads, Najibullah Zadran nudges it towards deep square leg for a brace.
Shorter in length and outside off, Mohammad Nabi cuts it towards deep point for a single.
Runs Scored 9 Runs
Score after 13 overs : 84/5
N Zadran9 (10)
M Nabi3 (5)
K Yadav3-0-20-1
Slower through the air, short and on off, turns away sharply again, Najibullah Zadran looks to smack it away but misses.
A loopy delivery, full and around middle, Mohammad Nabi eases it towards long off for one.
Floated, full and on off, Mohammad Nabi drives it firmly but fails to beat extra covers.
Flatter, short and on off, Najibullah Zadran stabs it towards extra covers for a single.
SIX! BANG! Najibullah Zadran connects this time alright! Quicker one this time, full and on the pads, Najibullah Zadran picks it up, uses his fast hands and whips it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.
Tossed up, full and around off, turns away a long way, Najibullah Zadran goes down to sweep but misses. It is called a wide.
Floated, short and on middle, Najibullah Zadran keeps it out to the leg side.
Runs Scored 4 Runs
Score after 12 overs : 75/5
N Zadran2 (6)
M Nabi2 (3)
R Jadeja2-0-13-1
Flatter, shortish and on leg, Najibullah Zadran flicks it through square leg for one more.
Another short delivery, on off, Mohammad Nabi punches it towards sweeper covers for one.
BEATEN! Quicker, full and on off turns away, Mohammad Nabi tries to block but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Quicker, full and on off, Najibullah Zadran forces it down to long off for a run.
Short and outside off, Mohammad Nabi cuts it away towards deep point for a single.
Mohammad Nabi walks in to bat now.
OUT! TAKEN! Another one bites the dust! Ravindra Jadeja now gets his first wicket and both the set batters are back in the hut for Afghanistan now. This is a bit quicker, short and around off, Azmatullah Omarzai stays back and tries to swat it away, but fails to get under it fully and hits it with the toe-end of the bat, the ball goes in the air towards long on where Axar Patel runs in and takes the catch. Afghanistan lose half their side now!
Runs Scored 5 Runs
Score after 11 overs : 71/4
N Zadran0 (4)
A Omarzai26 (19)
K Yadav2-0-11-1
Slows it up a bit, full and on middle, Najibullah Zadran fends it away.
FOUR LEG BYES! Afghanistan won't mind that! Flatter, full and on middle, turns in, Najibullah Zadran looks to work it away, but misses as the ball goes off his pads to the fine leg fence for a boundary.
A bit short and on middle, Najibullah Zadran stays back and keeps it out on the pitch.
BEAUTY! Tossed up, full and on off, turns in sharply, Najibullah Zadran prods forward to block but gets beaten on the inside edge.
Najibullah Zadran is in at number 6.
OUT! TAKEN! Kuldeep Yadav gets his first wicket of this World Cup! Once again, a break in play and the fielding side gets a breakthrough. This is the googly, full and around off, turns away, Gulbadin Naib goes down and tries to reach it and go for the slog sweep, but ends up getting a top edge, Rishabh Pant calls for it, runs forward a bit to he left and pouches it safely. Afghanistan four down now!
Short and on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for a single, he turns around for the second but is sent back, Ravindra Jadeja gathers up and throws it at the bowler's end but it just misses the stumps. A direct hit and Omarzai was a goner!
Drinks! India are ahead in the game at the moment, but they know that they will need to keep picking up wickets and not allow the batters to score freely. The spinners will play a huge part while Jasprit Bumrah's remaining overs will be crucial as well. Afghanistan needs this partnership between Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai to take them deep and then take their chances in the last five overs or so. An exciting phase of cricket awaits us.
Runs Scored 9 Runs
Score after 10 overs : 66/3
G Naib17 (20)
A Omarzai25 (18)
R Jadeja1-0-9-0
No run there! Flatter and on a nagging length on off stump, Gulbadin Naib stays back and edges it down to backward point looking for a single but won't get it.
Swing and a miss! Flighted up a bit, on the fuller side and outside off, Gulbadin Naib goes for the big heave but misses the ball completely.
Drops it short over middle, Azmatullah Omarzai presses back and pushes it down to long on for one more.
Flatter one and outside off, Gulbadin Naib stays put and hits it down to long off for another single.
This is pushed through around off stump, Azmatullah Omarzai jabs the ball down into the off side and picks up a quick single.
SIX! Wow, that has traveled a 100 meters! Tosses it up first up and on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai just clears the front leg and swings through the line, smoking it well over long on for a biggie.
Runs Scored 10 Runs
Score after 9 overs : 57/3
A Omarzai17 (15)
G Naib16 (17)
K Yadav1-0-10-0
Flatter one, angled across the right-hander, Azmatullah Omarzai slaps it aaway square through covers for one.
Tossed up full and on the leg peg, Gulbadin Naib pushes it down to long on and turns the strike over.
On a length and at the stumps, tucked away neatly in front of mid-wicket for one. Suryakumar Yadav throws the ball back to the keeper on a couple of bounce probably to scuff it up a bit more but the umpire gives him a warning.
Flighted up on a good length and around off, Azmatullah Omarzai cuts off the back foot but straight to covers.
Fuller in length and angling across the off stump, Gulbadin Naib plays it down to long on and picks up a single.
FOUR! Gulbadin Naib takes full advantage of the Free Hit. The faster one now, dropped short and on the pads, Gulbadin Naib rocks back and pulls it behind square leg for a boundary.
No ball! Uh, oh! A cardinal sin from Kuldeep Yadav on his very first delivery of the tournament. This is tossed up a bit full on middle and leg, Azmatullah Omarzai heaves it down to long on for one and Kuldeep has overstepped. Free Hit to follow.
Runs Scored 7 Runs
Score after 8 overs : 47/3
G Naib10 (14)
A Omarzai14 (11)
A Patel3-1-15-1
Another good piece of fielding in the deep, this time from Arshdeep Singh. On a length and around middle, Gulbadin Naib swats the ball across the line and to the right of deep mid-wicket where Arshdeep runs across and dives in before throwing the ball up to the other fielder and keeps it down to two.
Dragged length on the stumps, played off the back foot and just to the bowler's right.
Excellent work in the deep eventually by Kuldeep Yadav but the batters do pick up three runs. Slightly short and wide of the off stump, Azmatullah Omarzai rocks back and cuts it late and well behind point. Kuldeep makes good ground to his left from deep point and dives across to make the stop. He then rolls over and lets the ball go just before his hand towel which he had tucked in behind hid back made contact with the rope.
Slightly short and around off, Gulbadin Naib presses back and punches it with the full face of the bat to long off for one more.
Floated up around middle and angling in, Azmatullah Omarzai brings out the big heave and gets it wide of long on for just a single.
Bowled from wider on the crease and angled in quite a long way from outside off on a nagging length, Azmatullah Omarzai backs away and dabs it towards backward point.
Runs Scored 5 Runs
Score after 7 overs : 40/3
G Naib7 (11)
A Omarzai10 (8)
H Pandya1-0-5-0
Smart bowling and Hardik Pandya finishes the over with three dot balls. A slower bumper, well-directed around off stump, Gulbadin Naib bends his back and drops his hands to leave it alone.
Banged in short and wide of the off stump, this one doesn't get up high enough, Gulbadin Naib looks to fetch and pull but is well beaten.
Falls safely! Hardik Pandya brings out the surprise bumper and bowls it around off, angling it in. Gulbadin Naib swivels and looks to pull but is hurried on and the ball goes off the gloves and off the body lobbing up well in front of point.
Too high! Just short of a good length and this one nips back in from middle, Gulbadin Naib plays around the ball and gets hit quite high on the pads as the ball rolls behind point.
Pitched up outside the line of off stump, Azmatullah Omarzai reaches out and drives it on the up to sweeper cover for a single.
FOUR! A real 'hit-me' ball from Hardik Pandya first up. A long half volley outside the off stump, Azmatullah Omarzai waits well and smashes the drive through covers and picks up a boundary.
Runs Scored 8 Runs
Score after 6 overs : 35/3
G Naib7 (7)
A Omarzai5 (6)
A Patel2-1-8-1
SIX! Gulbadin Naib chances his arm and ends the Powerplay with a biggie. Dragged a bit short and angled into the batter, Naib rocks back and uses those big guns to muscle it over cow corner for a six.
Nice and full on the off stump, driven on the up and firmly to long off for one more.
That's gone through and Axar Patel concedes his first run of the game. Floated up a bit on middle stump, Gulbadin Naib pushes it straight back and Patel fails to gather it and it roll down to long off for a single.
Slightly shorter and slower around off stump, Gulbadin Naib stays back and pushes it away in front of point.
A bit flatter and angled into the stumps, Gulbadin Naib stays back and manages to push it back to the bowler.
Swing and a miss! Tossed up a bit fuller and wider of the off stump, going straight on, Gulbadin Naib does down to play the slog sweep but misses it completely.
Runs Scored 4 Runs
Score after 5 overs : 27/3
A Omarzai4 (5)
G Naib0 (2)
J Bumrah2-0-5-2
Fullish and on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai fends it as the ball rolls towards mid on, there is a bit of mix-up between the batters and the throw comes in at the batter's end but no harm is done.
Pace-off again, on a length and on off, Azmatullah Omarzai guides it towards point.
FOUR! A bit streaky! Jasprit Bumrah bowls a good yorker here, on off, angling in, Azmatullah Omarzai just gets his bat down in time and squeezes it between the keeper and first slip for a boundary.
Good-length and just outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai leaves it alone.
Pitched up and on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai blocks it out on the pitch.
Azmatullah Omarzai walks in with Afghanistan in a spot of bother.
OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Jasprit Bumrah gets his second and Afghanistan are in huge trouble now. This one is a slower delivery as Bumrah rolls his fingers on it, lands this on a good length, on middle, Hazratullah Zazai looks to flick it away but closes the face of the bat very early, the ball loops off the leading edge towards point where Ravindra Jadeja takes a dolly.
Runs Scored 0 Runs
Score after 4 overs : 23/2
G Naib0 (2)
H Zazai2 (3)
A Patel1-1-0-1
Slows it up, short and on middle, turns away, Gulbadin Naib looks to work it away but gets an outside edge along the ground to short third. A wicket-maiden to start from Axar Patel.
Darts this one on middle, Gulbadin Naib pushes it back to the bowler.
Gulbadin Naib is the new batter in.
OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! Axar Patel strikes in his first over as well! He sees the batter back away and fires this one, full and around middle, Ibrahim Zadran tries to loft it over extra covers, but fails to get the elevation and hits it flat and straight to Rohit Sharma who takes a sharp catch. Afghanistan loses both their openers now!
Quicker, short and on middle, goes with the arm, Ibrahim Zadran gets hurried and pushes it down the pitch.
Floated, full and on middle, Ibrahim Zadran knocks it to the left of the bowler.
Axar Patel starts with a flatter delivery, angling into the pads, Ibrahim Zadran tucks it to short mid-wicket.
Runs Scored 9 Runs
Score after 3 overs : 23/1
I Zadran8 (7)
H Zazai2 (3)
A Singh2-0-22-0
On a length and on off, Ibrahim Zadran pushes it through covers for one more. End of an eventful over!
A slower one, full and on off, Hazratullah Zazai taps it to the off side for one.
DROPPED! Of all people, it is Virat Kohli who puts it down! Short of a length and outside off, Ibrahim Zadran punches it but fails to keep it down, the ball flies towards point where Kohli leaps up, gets both hands on it but spills it out. No one in the field can believe it, neither can we. A single is taken and Zadran gets a life here! The timing of the jump from Kohli was all wrong too.
FOUR! Excellent shot! Back of a length and just around off, but that is enough for Ibrahim Zadran to free his arms and crunch it behind point for a boundary.
Fuller and on off, Hazratullah Zazai knocks it towards long off for a run.
Pitched up and around off, Ibrahim Zadran pushes it through covers for a single. They look for two but decide against it as it is Ravindra Jadeja who is the fielder there.
Runs Scored 1 Runs
Score after 2 overs : 14/1
H Zazai0 (1)
I Zadran1 (3)
J Bumrah1-0-1-1
Length again and on off, keeps a bit low, Hazratullah Zazai keeps it out to the off side. Just one run and a big wicket from the over!
On a length and on off, Ibrahim Zadran runs it down to third man for a single.
Hard length and around off, shaping in sharply, Ibrahim Zadran looks to defend but gets beaten on the inside edge.
Back of a length and on off, Ibrahim Zadran dabs it down to cover-point.
Ibrahim Zadran walks in at number 3.
OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Who else, it is that man Jasprit Bumrah once again! He sees the batter back away and bowls this a touch fuller, but well outside off and slower too, Rahmanullah Gurbaz still tries to reach for it, and throws his bat it. However, he only manages to toe-end it behind where Rishabh Pant makes no mistake. Early blow for Afghanistan!
Jasprit Bumrah begins with a good-length delivery, on off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz pats it down to covers.
Jasprit Bumrah to operate from the other end.
Runs Scored 13 Runs
Score after 1 overs : 13/0
R Gurbaz11 (6)
H Zazai0 (0)
A Singh1-0-13-0
Uppish but safe! Short of a length and around off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz trise to ramp it away but gets a top edge, the ball flies and lands just wide of the diving Jasprit Bumrah at short third. They cross. 13 runs off the first over then!
SIX! BANG! That is some shot from Rahmanullah Gurbaz! Arshdeep Singh bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Rahmanullah Gurbaz skips down the track once again, gets on top of the bounce and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.
BEAUTY! Hits the perfect length, on the fifth stump line, nips away a shy bit, Rahmanullah Gurbaz stays in his crease to push at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Arshdeep Singh bangs in a bouncer this time, but it goes over the head of the batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz sways away from it. Wided.
Back of a length, just outside off, gets it shape away once again, Rahmanullah Gurbaz charges down the track but is nowhere near the ball.
Good-length delivery, in that channel outside off, shaping away, Rahmanullah Gurbaz withdraws his bat at the last moment.
FOUR! Shot of intent! Arshdeep Singh goes fuller this time, on middle, no movement, Rahmanullah Gurbaz comes down the track, presents the full face of he bat, and lofts it over the bowler's head for the first boundary of the chase.
Afghanistan get underway with extras! Arshdeep Singh starts with a hard-length delivery but way, way outside off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz leaves it alone. It is called a wide.
Commentary
We are back for the all-important run chase! The umpires are back out in the middle and so are the Indian players who spread out on the field. Rahmanullah Gurbaz does come out to open the innings for Afghanistan but it will be the veteran Hazratullah Zazai to accompany him at the top in place of Ibrahim Zadran. Arshdeep Singh will get proceedings underway with the new ball. Let's play...
... The Run Chase ...
Right then, the average total at this stadium is around 160 runs and India have surpassed that by 20 or so runs which will make things even more difficult for Afghanistan. A lot depends on their charismatic opening pair but the Indian bowlers will come hard at them. Can Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran lay the foundation for a famous win? Or will Jasprit Bumrah and co prove to be too much for them? Let's find out as the run chase is up next.
The star with the bat for India, Suryakumar Yadav is up for a chat. He says that he enjoys batting in the middle overs. Adds that that is the time when the opposition tries to slow things down, but he knew that they had a few left-handers to come and tried to keep the positive intent going on. Mentions that Rohit Sharma understands his game and it is a motivation when your skipper backs your game. Ends by saying that the total is good and they will give their best to defend it.
Afghanistan will feel they have let India off the hook a bit and now face a daunting task ahead. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mohammad Nabi started off very nicely and Farooqi got rid of the Indian skipper in the third over. A dropped catch from Naveen-ul-Haq allowed Pant to keep chipping away but the skipper, Rashid Khan stepped up and got a couple of quick wickets. The spinners, however, didn't quite manage to build on and allowed the likes of Suryakumar Yadav to dominate them. Rashid did come back and pick up another wicket but it was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament, Farooqi who got a couple of wickets at the death and kept Afghanistan in the game. Naveen, however, wasn't all that brilliant and was costly at the death too.
A half-decent comeback by the Afghanistan pacers in the last four overs as the likes of Naveen-ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi managed to pick up wickets but India will feel, they have got to a total they would have taken gladly at the start of the match. After opting to bat first, India had a sedate start to their innings and skipper Rohit Sharma looked patchy as he kept swinging at every other ball and was soon caught out. Rishabh Pant came in and provided some much-needed momentum which allowed Virat Kohli to just string along but both batters fell in quick succession. Suryakumar Yadav was positive from the very first ball and never looked to be fazed by anything and went on to score a fiery fifty before getting out. After SKY got out Hardik Pandya was able to turn a sedate start into something meaningful with a few lovely hits but he couldn't stay on till the end either. In the end, it was a small but crucial cameo from Axar Patel in the last over that took India over the 180-run mark.
Runs Scored 14 Runs
Score after 20 overs : 181/8
A Patel12 (6)
A Singh2 (2)
Naveen4-0-40-1
OUT! RUN OUT! An anti-climatic end to the innings but still 13 runs come off the last over! Naveen-ul-Haq lands this back of a length, outside off, slower too, and angles away as well, Axar Patel swings across the line but misses, Arshdeep Singh takes off to steal a bye but Axar is very late to react, Rahmanullah Gurbaz throws it to the bowler and Naveen runs to break the stumps with Axar well short of his crease. India finishes on 181/8!
Naveen-ul-Haq has to reload that one! He goes full again but way outside off, Axar Patel lets it go and gets the wide.
FOUR! You bet he can! Naveen-ul-Haq bowls this slower, full and outside off, Axar Patel opens the face of the bat at the last moment, the ball flies off the outside edge over short third man for another boundary.
Overpitched and on middle, Axar Patel drills it down the ground to the right of long on for a couple of more runs. Can Axar Patel take India to 180 here?
FOUR! A freebie and Axar Patel takes full advantage here! This is a low full toss, outside off, Axar Patel crunches it through covers and as there is not protection in the deep, the ball races away to the fence for a boundary.
Short of a length and outside off, Axar Patel cuts it uppishly but well wide of deep point for a brace.
Naveen-ul-Haq nails the wide yorker this time, outside off, Axar Patel fails to lay a bat on it.
Goes full but well outside off, Axar Patel leaves it alone. Wided.
Runs Scored 8 Runs
Score after 19 overs : 167/7
A Singh2 (2)
A Patel0 (0)
F Farooqi4-0-33-3
A low full toss, angling into the leg side, Arshdeep Singh digs it out towards square leg but Axar Patel denies the single.
Pitched up and on off, Arshdeep Singh heaves it away wide of deep square leg for a brace.
Arshdeep Singh walks out to bat now.
OUT! TAKEN! Fazalhaq Farooqi has three now! He bangs this one into the pitch, but takes all the pace off, it is going well over the head of the batter. However, Ravindra Jadeja still tries to ramp it away but miscues it off the toe-end towards wide of short third where Gulbadin Naib moves to his left and takes a nice catch. India seven down now and Afghanistan has pulled things back slightly here!
FOUR! Finds the gap! Short of a length and on middle, Ravindra Jadeja gets on top of the bounce and pulls it away perfectly between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.
Fazalhaq Farooqi nails the yorker this time, on middle, angling in, Ravindra Jadeja uses his feet but fails to dig it out and gets hit on the pads.
Back of a length and around leg, Ravindra Jadeja nudges it towards square leg and comes back for the second run. Sloppy work from the Afghanistan fielders!
Axar Patel walks in to bat now.
Runs Scored 9 Runs
Score after 18 overs : 159/6
H Pandya32 (24)
R Jadeja1 (1)
Naveen3-0-26-1
OUT! TAKEN! Naveen-ul-Haq gets his man this time! No need for a review now. Fullish delivery, outside off, keeps it out of reach for the batter, Hardik Pandya still goes after it but only manages to slice it up in the air towards sweeper covers, Azmatullah Omarzai judges it well and takes a good catch. A fiery knock from Pandya finally comes to an end!
Another big shout from the Afghans, and the finger goes up! However, Hardik Pandya has taken the review here. Naveen-ul-Haq this time goes right in the blockhole, on middle and leg, angling in, Hardik Pandya tries to heave it away but misses and gets hit on the pads. UltraEdge shows that no bat is involved and Ball Tracking indicates that it is going down the leg side, Good review from India!
For the third time in this inning, the ball seems to be lost and we will have another slight delay. It is found eventually and the play can now continue.
SIX! OUT OF THE PARK! Naveen-ul-Haq goes for the slower delivery, but serves this right in the slot, on middle, Hardik Pandya clears his front leg, uses all his power, and muscles it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. It sounded very sweet and we have lost another ball as this one goes out of the stadium. 98 METERS!
Pitches it up but way down the leg side, Hardik Pandya misses his flick. Wided.
Back of a length and outside off, Hardik Pandya cuts it straight to point.
Fuller and on off, Ravindra Jadeja goes down and sweeps it through mid-wicket for a run.
Short of a length and around off, Hardik Pandya steers it through point for a single.
Ravindra Jadeja is the new man in. Also, Naveen-ul-Haq (2-0-17-0) comes back into the attack.
Runs Scored 12 Runs
Score after 17 overs : 150/5
S Yadav53 (28)
H Pandya25 (19)
F Farooqi3-0-25-2
OUT! TAKEN! A huge sigh of relief for Afghanistan! Fazalhaq Farooqi gets the big breakthrough with another slower one, full and on off, Suryakumar Yadav tries to fetch it from there and slog it leg side, but fails to get underneath it and toe-ends it high in the air towards long off, Mohammad Nabi settles under it and pouches it safely under pressure. SKY goes back after a fine fifty!
FOUR! FIFTY FOR SKY! He is not the number one T20I batter for no reason! Hard length this time, on middle, Suryakumar Yadav has a swipe at it, gets it from the inside half of the bat as the ball teases the mid on fielder to the fence and wins the race.
SIX! MASSIVE FROM SKY! Fazalhaq Farooqi goes slower again, a touch fuller and on middle, Suryakumar Yadav reads it early, puts his weight on the back foot and smokes it way, way over the long on fence for another biggie.
Overpitched and outside off, Hardik Pandya squeezes it towards deep point for a run. That brings up the 50-run partnership between theses two batters!
Good length and on off, pace on this time, Suryakumar Yadav gets a but hurried and miscues his heave towards long off for a single.
Clever bowling! Fazalhaq Farooqi takes all the pace off here, back of a length and on off, angling away, Suryakumar Yadav goes way early through his slog and misses.
Runs Scored 12 Runs
Score after 16 overs : 138/4
H Pandya24 (18)
S Yadav42 (23)
N Ahmad3-0-30-0
Fires this one in, full and on middle and leg, Hardik Pandya goes down to paddle it away but fails to connect. 12 runs off the over and India are on track for big total here!
A slight halt in play as the ball seems to have been lost and the fourth umpire runs out with the box of balls again. However, the old ball is found and the match can now continue.
SIX! SMACKED! Noor Ahmad gives this one some more flight but serves it in the slot, on middle, Hardik Pandya clears his front leg away and tonks it over the long on fence for a biggie.
FOUR! Lovely shot! Flighted delivery, full and on off, Hardik Pandya backs away, opens the face of the bat slightly and smacks it with perfect timing over extra covers for a boundary.
'Catch it' is the call but it lands safely! Flighted, full and on off, Suryakumar Yadav goes inside out and lifts it but fails to get the time, the ball goes high in the air and drops well wide of sweeper covers. They cross.
Tossed up, full and on off, Suryakumar Yadav pushes it wide of extra covers where the fielder makes a good diving stop.
Floated, short and around off, Hardik Pandya tries to smack it away but goes a bit too hard on that, ends up bunting it down to long off for a single.
Runs Scored 11 Runs
Score after 15 overs : 126/4
H Pandya13 (14)
S Yadav41 (21)
A Omarzai2-0-23-0
On the shorter side and outside off stump, Hardik Pandya rocks back and slashes the ball away in front of the point region for a single.
TWO WIDES! Bowled on a length and angled well outside the off stump, this one goes beyond the tramline and the keeper gets a bad bounce as well which allows the batters to take the extra run.
SIX! As clean a strike as you'll see! Pitched up in the slot and outside off stump, Suryakumar Yadav goes deep in the crease and shimmies just a bit to the off side before getting under it and whacking it straight down the ground for another biggie. SKY yet again holds the pose!
Quite full and flirting with the tramline outside off, Hardik Pandya opts to go chasing after it and almost falls over as he hammers the ball to deep cover for just a single.
Too full and probably going beyond the tramline outside off, Suryakumar Yadav moves around and goes past the off stump before toe-ending the ball behind point for just a single.
Nicely bowled! Gets the yorker in around the off stump line and Suryakumar Yadav can only manage to squeeze it out the deck on the off side.
Bowled back of a length and on a tight line over off stump, Suryakumar Yadav bends his back a bit and plays it away down towards mid on.
Runs Scored 5 Runs
Score after 14 overs : 115/4
H Pandya11 (12)
S Yadav34 (17)
R Khan4-0-26-3
FOUR! Rashid Khan ends a good over with a freebie and Hardik Pandya doesn't miss out on it. Short and wide outside off stump, Pandya rocks back and slaps the ball in front of square on the off side to pick up a boundary.
Good, attacking bowling from Rashid Khan here. Tossed up and drifting onto middle and leg, Hardik Pandya watchfully blocks it down the pitch.
Lovely delivery! The regular leg break now, flighted up a bit full and around off stump. Hardik Pandya leans on to block but the ball grips and rips past the outside edge.
Floated up a bit, quite full and on the off stump line, Hardik Pandya blocks it off.
Pushed through quicker and fuller outside the off stump, a hint of turn on this occasion. Hardik Pandya leans on to push it away but the ball zips past the outside edge.
Drags the length well short and bowls it over off and middle, Suryakumar Yadav goes on the back foot and whips it away down to wide long on for a single.
Runs Scored 12 Runs
Score after 13 overs : 110/4
H Pandya7 (7)
S Yadav33 (16)
A Omarzai1-0-12-0
Slower one, floated up outside the off stump, Hardik Pandya looks to drive off the front foot but is beaten past the outside edge.
Nice and full, bowled outside off stump, Suryakumar Yadav drives it square on the off side and picks up a single in the deep.
FOUR! Suryakumar Yadav seems to be in full flight at the moment. Overpitched and outside off, SKY gets on the front foot and forces the lofted drive wide of mid off and the ball runs away to the fence. SKY holds the pose after that shot as well and Azmatullah Omarzai is under pressure from the get-go.
On a fuller length and outside off, Suryakumar Yadav gets on the front foot and hammers it away well wide of long off and picks up a couple of runs.
FOUR! Oh, that was audacious from Suryakumar Yadav and the 100 comes up for India. Azmatullah Omarzai looks for the wide yorker but serves a low full toss around the tramline. Yadav shimmies in his crease and eventually, he just plants his front leg well across the off stump and swats it away flat in between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for a crunching boundary.
Starts from over the stumps and bowls it slightly shorter around off, Hardik Pandya plays it late and with soft hands wide of deep third and picks up a single.
Runs Scored 8 Runs
Score after 12 overs : 98/4
H Pandya6 (5)
S Yadav22 (12)
Naveen2-0-17-0
Back of a length and outside off, punched away on the up and through the cover region for a single.
Close but not close enough! Naveen-ul-Haq pitches the ball up on the stumps, Hardik Pandya gets on the front foot again and drives it with a straight bat. Naveen does well to get a right hand on it on the follow-through and the ball deflects onto the stumps at the non-striker's end. Suryakumar Yadav is backing up quite a bit but shows good reflexes to turn back and slide the bat back in. It is sent upstairs and the replays show that Yadav did manage to get back in before the bails came off. NOT OUT!
Is that a run-out at the non-striker's end? The Afghanistan players look confident here. It definitely deflects off Naveen ul-Haq's fingers but the replay shows that SKY has just put his bat down in time.
FOUR! Glorious from Hardik Pandya, absolutely glorious. On a good length and around off stump, Pandya walks down the pitch, keeps a still head and drives it nicely through extra cover for a lovely boundary.
Suryakumar Yadav moves around in the crease and Naveen bowls it slightly back of a length and outside off. Yadav gets a bit squared up and gets an outside edge past the diving man at backward point for a single.
Pitches this one up, pace on and around off stump, Hardik Pandya plays it on the up and pushes it gently towards cover for an easy single.
Starts the new spell from over the wicket and bowls it wider on the crease. It is slower too and angled into the pads, Suryakumar Yadav flicks it away through square leg and turns the strike over.
Runs Scored 11 Runs
Score after 11 overs : 90/4
H Pandya0 (1)
S Yadav20 (10)
R Khan3-0-21-3
Seemed like the googly but it was on a shorter length and Rashid angled that one onto off and middle. Hardik Pandya with a solid block off the front foot.
Hardik Pandya is the next man in for India.
OUT! LBW! Excellent review! A prolonged appeal for LBW from the bowler and the keeper but the umpire says no. Rashid Khan reviews it immediately as he feels it was pad first and then bat and the third umpire is called in. This is the regulation leg break, bowled flatter on middle and turning back in sharply. Shivam Dube opts to go on the back foot and is late on the dab and seems to have got a bit of glove onto the pads. However, the replays and UltraEdge confirm that there was no bat involved and Ball Tracking comes up with three reds and Rashid has this third wicket.
A misfield from Noor Ahmad but it doesn't cost an extra run. Flighted up around the off stump line, Suryakumar Yadav leans forward and plays it towards extra cover for one.
SIX! BANG! Every time these two go up against each other, Suryakumar Yadav seems to have the number of Rashid Khan. Another ball that is pretty full and pushed through outside off stump, Yadav plants his front leg across, fetches the ball and nails the slog sweep over deep square leg for a biggie.
Nicely bowled! The top spinner now, on a length and around off stump, Suryakumar Yadav leans on and gets the front leg across looking to sweep but misses. The ball goes off his arm and into the body.
FOUR! Runs right after the drinks break for Suryakumar Yadav. Tossed up full and on the leg stump, SKY gets inside the line and sweeps it firmly wide of the fine leg fence for a boundary.
Drinks break! The first innings is very nicely poised as Afghanistan have managed to get rid of India's top order and for the first time, Rashid Khan has been able to pick up wickets against India in this format. However, India now have a couple of players who are excellent players of spin and it will be a bit of a challenge for Rashid and Noor Ahmad to simply have their way. Let's see how the next 10 overs pan out.
Runs Scored 12 Runs
Score after 10 overs : 79/3
S Yadav9 (6)
S Dube10 (6)
N Ahmad2-0-18-0
Quicker one, full again and on middle, Suryakumar Yadav tucks it through square leg for one.
Darts this one full, on middle, Suryakumar Yadav flicks it away nicely wide of deep mid-wicket for a brace.
Drags his length back, on leg, Shivam Dube flicks it off the back foot through mid-wicket for a run.
A slight delay here as the ball seems to have been lost in the crowd thanks to that biggie from Shivam Dube and the fourth umpire comes out to the middle with the box of balls. The onfield umpires pick one and play can get underway again.
SIX! BANG! First one of the match for Dube! Floated, full and on off, Shivam Dube gives himself a bit of room, extends his arms and clobbers it over the long off fence for a biggie.
Goes short and around off, Shivam Dube punches it straight to extra covers.
Tossed up, full and on off, Shivam Dube drills it wide of sweeper covers for a couple of runs.
Runs Scored 7 Runs
Score after 9 overs : 67/3
S Yadav6 (4)
S Dube1 (2)
R Khan2-0-10-2
FOUR! Top shot! Rashid Khan gives this one some air, full and on middle, Suryakumar Yadav goes down, uses his wrists nicely and sweeps it away hard and wide of deep square leg for a boundary. 7 runs and a huge wicket off the over!
Short again and around off, Shivam Dube punches it through covers for a single and gets off the mark.
A googly, short and on middle, turns away, Shivam Dube stays back and blocks it out.
Shivam Dube is the new man in.
OUT! TAKEN! Rashid Khan is turning the game on its head here! He gets the big fish, Virat Kohli now. Flighted delivery, full and on off, Virat Kohli backs away a bit and tries to loft it over extra covers, but the ball did not turn enough and he ends up hitting it much straighter towards long off where Mohammad Nabi takes a fine catch. Kohli goes after a run-a-ball knock and India are three down now. That was an uncanny mistake from the Indian stalwart.
Uppish but safe! A bit short and outside off, Virat Kohli slaps it aerially but the ball just bounces in front of extra covers. The fielder fumbles a bit but no harm done.
Tossed up, full and around off, Virat Kohli drives it firmly, the fielder at extra covers dives but fails to stop it as long off cuts it out. Two runs taken!
Runs Scored 6 Runs
Score after 8 overs : 60/2
V Kohli22 (21)
S Yadav2 (3)
N Ahmad1-0-6-0
A single to end the over as this shortish delivery is punched to sweeper covers by Kohli. 6 runs off the over then!
Noor Ahmad continues to bowl quick, drags his length back once more, Suryakumar Yadav mistimes his cut wide of point for a quick run.
Pushed through quicker, short again, on off, Suryakumar Yadav dabs it down to point.
Goes short and outside off, Virat Kohli moves back and cuts it towards deep point for another run.
Fires this one full but down the leg side, Virat Kohli leaves it alone. Wided.
Off the mark right away. Floated up quite full and on middle, Suryakumar Yadav gets on the front foot and wrists the ball away along the turf through mid-wicket for a single.
Starts with a full and wide one, Virat Kohli reaches out and hammers it away to long off for a single.
Suryakumar Yadav is the new batter in. Also, Noor Ahmad has now been brought into the attack.
Runs Scored 7 Runs
Score after 7 overs : 54/2
R Pant20 (11)
V Kohli19 (18)
R Khan1-0-3-1
OUT! LBW! A huge shout by the Afghans and up goes the finger! Is that the first wicket for Rashid Khan against India in T20Is? We will have to wait and see as Pant takes the review here. Rashid bowls the leg-break this time, full and on middle and off, turns in a bit, Rishabh Pant takes his chance and goes for the reverse sweep but the ball is very full for that shot, he misses it and gets hit on the pads. UltraEdge confirms no bat involved and Ball Tracking comes up with three reds. India lose a big wicket and a review as well, and Rashid Khan opens his account against India in T20Is.
FOUR LEG BYES! Off the pads! Rashid Khan dishes out the googly and bowls it full around the leg stump, Rishabh Pant goes down to sweep but misses and the ball just clips the pads as it goes past the keeper and runs away to the fence.
A googly now, short and on middle, turns in, Virat Kohli picks it up and pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for one.
Flatter, short and on off, Virat Kohli tries to cut but fails to beat point.
Short and on leg, Rishabh Pant clips it through square leg for a run.
Rashid Khan starts with a floated delivery, full and on off, Virat Kohli drills it towards long off for a single.
Rashid Khan brings himself into the attack right after the Powerplay.
Runs Scored 13 Runs
Score after 6 overs : 47/1
R Pant19 (8)
V Kohli17 (15)
M Nabi3-0-24-0
Virat Kohli gets lucky there! Flatter, full and on middle, Rishabh Pant drills it down the ground, Mohammad Nabi gets down and gets his fingertips on it as the ball crashes onto the stumps at the non-striker's end. The replay shows that Kohli has got his bat inside the crease in time.
Did the ball deflect off Nabi's hand? The umpires have gone upstairs to have a look but Mohammad Nabi isn't excited one bit. The replays show that the ball did deflect off Nabi's fingers but Virat Kohli had his bat planted in the crease. NOT OUT comes up on the big screen.
Quicker, short and on off, Rishabh Pant punches it to extra covers.
FOUR! Rishabh Pant is taking on 'The President' here! A loopy delivery, full and around off, Rishabh Pant backs away a bit and lofts it beautifully over extra covers for four more runs.
DROPPED AND FOUR! That is a huge moment in this game! Mohammad Nabi gives this some air again, full and on middle, Rishabh Pant goes for the traditional sweep this time, gets a top edge that flies high in the air towards deep mid-wicket, Naveen-ul-Haq runs to his left, gets under it but does not even get his hands on it as the ball deflects off his chest and goes for another boundary. Pant gets a life and this could be very costly for the Afghans!
FOUR! Nicely played! Floated, full and around middle again, Rishabh Pant goes down on one knee and nails his reverse sweep over point for a boundary.
Risky single! Tossed up, full and on middle, Virat Kohli goes down and paddles it to short fine leg and sets off for the run, Pant responds well too. The fielder makes a direct hit at the batter's end but the replay shows that Pant has made his ground comfortably.
The Indians are wearing black armbands in honor of the late David Johnson, a former Indian fast bowler who played a couple of Test matches for the national side. Johnson tragically passed away earlier in the day at the age of 52.
Runs Scored 9 Runs
Score after 5 overs : 34/1
R Pant7 (3)
V Kohli16 (14)
Naveen1-0-9-0
Another slower delivery, bowled well into the pitch and over middle and leg. Rishabh Pant gets cramped for room and ends up just blocking it back on the deck.
Bowled back of a length and at the body, Virat Kohli tucks it off the back foot and in front of square leg for a run to follow-up the big hit.
SIX! 'Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground.' Another pace-off delivery, bowled into the pitch and around off stump, Virat Kohli holds his shape and closes the face of the bat a bit before lifting it straight back over the bowler's head for a biggie.
Back of a length and a bit wide of the off stump, Virat Kohli hangs back and punches it away straight to the man at covers.
Takes pace off and bowls it back of a length around off, Virat Kohli steps out again looking to drive but the ball doesn't quite come on and Kohli eases it towards cover.
Starts off on the shorter length and bowls it around off, Virat Kohli decides to use his feet and comes forward before reaching out and slapping it away in front of deep point for a single.
Runs Scored 9 Runs
Score after 4 overs : 25/1
V Kohli7 (9)
R Pant7 (2)
M Nabi2-0-11-0
On the shorter side and around off, Virat Kohli goes across and on the back foot before working it away in front of square leg for one.
In the air but lands safely! Tossed up a bit around middle stump, Virat Kohli gets down on one knee and plays a lofted sweep shot off the top edge and gets it over the backward square leg region for a couple of more runs.
Extra bounce! Quicker and shorter, angled in from around middle, Virat Kohli backs away to cut but is beaten by the additional bounce.
A bit shorter and at the stumps, Virat Kohli uses his wrists and swats the ball away to the right of mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Nicely stroked away! Flighted delivery outside off stump, Rishabh Pant leans right on and plays it a bit late to pierce the gap at covers. The fielder chases it down and puts the slide across to pull the ball back in, three runs for Pant there.
A bit more round-arm and flatter around off, Virat Kohli goes back and across before working it away in front of mid-wicket for a single.
Mohammad Nabi to continue here.
Runs Scored 8 Runs
Score after 3 overs : 16/1
R Pant4 (1)
V Kohli1 (4)
F Farooqi2-0-13-1
FOUR! Easy pickings and Rishabh Pant is up and running! A half-volley angling onto the pads, Pant just flicks it away behind square leg and the ball races away into the fence. Still, a good over from Fazalhaq Farooqi and Afghanistan have made a fine start.
WIDE! Full and trying to attack the pads but this is spilled well down the leg side for a wide.
Rishabh Pant walks out to bat at number 3.
OUT! CAUGHT! The change of pace has worked and Rohit Sharma has thrown his wicket away. Fazalhaq Farooqi knows that Rohit is itching to get a big hit away and pitches the ball up within the lines of the stumps but smartly takes pace off the ball as well. Rohit crouches a bit and goes hard at it but only manages to lift it a mile high and towards mid on. His opposite number, Rashid Khan settles under it and takes a fine catch. Yet another dismissal for Rohit against the left-armed pacer and that's the 8th time now he has got out to a left-armer inside the Powerplay in T20Is.
Tap and run! Back of a length and angling across the right-hander, it comes slower off the deck and Virat Kohli hangs back before angling it away to deep point for a run.
On a hard length outside off and angling away, Virat Kohli stands upright and punches it sweetly but straight to the man at covers.
WIDE! On the fuller length but pushed well wide of the off stump, left alone for a wide.
Bowls this one back of a length and angles it away from the right-hander, Rohit Sharma presses back and just pushes it in front of point for a single.
Early drama! Fazalhaq Farooqi pitches the ball around leg stump and tries to shape it back in, Rohit Sharma gets down on one knee and looks to whack it across the line but misses and gets hit on the back leg. A big shout for LBW but the umpire remains unmoved. A wild slog from Rohit Sharma and he missed it completely and Afghanistan have taken the review. The big question is whether it pitched in line or not. No bat on UltraEdge and Ball Tracking shows that the ball is just pitching outside leg. The original decision of NOT OUT stands.
Runs Scored 3 Runs
Score after 2 overs : 8/0
V Kohli0 (2)
R Sharma7 (10)
M Nabi1-0-2-0
Bowled flatter and at the stumps, just holding in the deck a bit, Virat Kohli goes back in his crease and plays it back to the bowler.
On a length and sliding onto the pads, Rohit Sharma tucks it away around the corner and rotates the strike.
Bowled on the shorter side and angled into the batter, Rohit Sharma tries to back away and go over the infield but mistimes the shot to mid off.
Comes from over the stumps now and drifts it into the legs, Virat Kohli looks to flick off the front foot but misses. The ball rolls off the pads behind square leg and they get a leg bye.
Bowled flatter and on middle and leg, Rohit Sharma gets inside the line and sweeps it hard through backward square leg for a single.
Starts from around the stumps and fires it into the blockhole around middle, Rohit Sharma clears the front leg but can't get under it and hits it straight to mid on. Afghanistan receive their first warning for not starting the over in time.
Afghanistan going with spin early on as Mohammad Nabi is ready to share the attack now.
Runs Scored 5 Runs
Score after 1 overs : 5/0
R Sharma5 (6)
V Kohli0 (0)
F Farooqi1-0-5-0
Nice and full, angling it across the off stump, Rohit Sharma reaches out to drive but miscues it towards mid-wicket for a single. 5 off the first over!
FOUR! Sloppy from the fielder but Rohit Sharma and India are underway. Lovely length, around the top of off and just seaming back in late. Rohit Sharma tentatively pushes at it and squirts the ball off the outside edge and to the right of short third where Hazratullah Zazai dives over the ball and lets it through for a boundary.
Four dots on the trot, tidy thus far from Fazalhaq Farooqi. Nagging length on off stump, not quite full and Rohit Sharma clears the front leg to heave it across the line but the ball beats the inside edge.
Pitched up right on the stumps this time, Rohit Sharma gets on the front foot again and just gently pushes the ball back to the bowler.
Goes full and wide outside the off stump, looking for the big indipper and it doesn't quite come out. Rohit Sharma reaches for it but the ball sneaks under the bat and just inside the tramline.
On the money! Begins from over the stumps and serves it on a good length, trying to shape it back in from around the off stump. Rohit Sharma gets on the front foot and pushes it solidly towards extra cover.
Done with the pre-match formalities! We can see the Afghanistan spread out and take their respective field positions. India are sticking with the same opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Interestingly, both have scored exactly 4042 T20I runs each at the moment. The leading wicket-taker in the World Cup so far, Fazalhaq Farooqi has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...
We are moments away from the start of this big clash but before that, the players from both sides make their way out to the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be India's first followed by the national anthem of Afghanistan.
PITCH REPORT - Ian Smith is pitchside. He says that the weather conditions are great and there is a nice breeze going towards the ocean. Adds that the square boundaries are 67m and 58m while the straight hit is 70m. Sunil Gavaskar joins him and points out that there are a few cracks on the surface that could help the wrist spinners. Ends by saying that it is still a good pitch for batting as the ball will come onto the bat nicely.
Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan says that they would have batted first as well but it doesn't matter much in T20 and it is all about the mindset. Adds that he is quite happy with how they have prepared and how the batters have gone about their business in 3 out of the 4 games and now it is all about controlling emotions and playing their natural game. Mentions that being here in West Indies from the start will help a bit and informs that Hazratullah Zazai comes in for Karim Janat.
The Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma says that they will bat first. He adds that it looks like a good track, flat and not much grass on it. He expects it to slow down later in the game. Mentions that it looks definitely better than New York but it was important to get the results there. Says that they had a good training session and will look to adapt well. Further adds, that it is different playing in the West Indies as in any other country, they start in the evening but here it is an early start and they enjoy playing here. Informs they have made one change as Kuldeep Yadav comes in for Mohammed Siraj.
India (Playing XI) - Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav (In for Mohammed Siraj), Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
Afghanistan (Playing XI) - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Hazratullah Zazai (In for Karim Janat), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
TOSS - The coin is flipped by Rashid Khan but it lands in favor of India. Rohit Sharma opts to BAT first.
India on the other hand played their last game more than a week ago as their final fixture against Canada was washed out but they had won all three games by then. The top order has certainly looked shaky and a lot of focus will be on Virat Kohli and whether or not he can turn this disastrous rut around. One big positive for them is that Suryakumar Yadav has an excellent record against Rashid Khan and India have an unblemished record against Afghanistan at the senior level. Given that India like to play the same XI more often than not, whether or not we will see an extra spinner in the side remains a big question mark. Can India bolster their claim as one of the favorites to win the tournament with another win? Or will we finally see the upcoming Asian side, Afghanistan take down the Asian Powerhouse? We shall find out in a few hours' time. Toss and team news in a bit, stay tuned.
Afghanistan come into the contest having won 3 out of their 4 games in the initial group stage and all three of those wins were pretty convincing, especially the one against the Kiwis. However, they were humbled by West Indies in their final group game and will look to shrug it off quickly as they have played some fantastic cricket in the tournament. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Fazalhaq Farooqi are amongst the leading run-getters and wicket-takers, respectively, and will be key to their success. Skipper, Rashid Khan will also be looking to weave his magic and lead his side to a memorable win.
Hello and a warm welcome to Bridgetown in Barbados where Afghanistan will take on India at the Kensington Oval. This is the first fixture in Group 1 of the Super Eight stage of the competition with the likes of South Africa and England getting a win each in the other group. Given that the top 8 teams of the competition are playing each other, no game can be taken lightly and both sides will be itching to put a win on board and take the early lead.
... MATCH DAY ...
The festival of T20I cricket is in full swing. The Super 8 stages have begun, and for every team, the stakes could not be higher. India and Afghanistan will square off in the third Super 8 encounter at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Both sides are expected to perform well after giving a good account of themselves during the group round and have some high expectations riding on their shoulders. India won three of their matches to finish first in Group A, with the rain playing spoilsport in their final league game. Although their batting display hasn't drawn much attention, the bowlers have received a lot of admiration for their efforts. The Indian supporters will hope that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma make a big comeback because they haven't been playing at their best. The middle order has been able to withstand pressure thanks to the batting prowess of Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. Shivam Dube is likely to perform better on the Windies' spinning surface after having a strong performance in the most recent encounter. In addition to having a deep batting order, they have Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson in the squad. Since the conditions at this venue are different from New York, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal could play a key role from here. For some time now, Jasprit Bumrah has been performing at his peak, and he doesn't seem to be slowing down. Their pace battery is formidable, especially when combined with that of Siraj, Arshdeep, and Pandya, who is returning to form. The Men in Blue will be eyeing a winning start to build some momentum heading forward into the tournament. Conversely, Afghanistan are arguably the second-best Asian squad participating in this mega event. They have performed admirably both with the bat and the ball. They may, however, feel some pressure to play better heading into the Super 8 after a crushing loss against the West Indies. Their batting and bowling units had a forgetful game, which resulted in a 104-run loss. Leaving that game aside, the Afghans performed admirably in the group stages, easily defeating the other three teams, which included, New Zealand. Along with Azmatullah Omarzai, their openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have demonstrated their abilities with the bat, that said, their middle order could be the chink in their armour as it has been inconsistent. Their bowling has displayed much better stats with Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen troubling the batters in the initial phases followed by the spin magic of Rashid and Noor Ahmad. This is expected to be a nail-biting contest between the two Asian teams. Which team are you supporting?
টলি-নায়িকাকে যৌন হেনস্থার অভিযোগ, সাসপেন্ড হয়ে কী বলছেন অরিন্দম শীল?
25 years of imprisonment: জলপাইগুড়িতে নাবালিকাকে ধর্ষণের দায়ে জওয়ানের ২৫ বছরের কারাদণ্ড
West Bengal health department: RMO ও সিনিয়র রেসিডেন্ট চিকিৎসকদের তথ্যপঞ্জি তলব স্বাস্থ্য ভবনের, উদ্দেশ্য নিয়ে প্রশ্ন
RG Kar case: জুনিয়র ডাক্তারদের আন্দোলন নিয়ে মুখ খুললেন আরজি করের রোগীকল্যাণ সমিতির চেয়ারম্যান
Andre Russell: রাসেলের সঙ্গে সম্পর্ক ভাঙছে কেকেআর? যে অঙ্কে এগোচ্ছে টিম…
Andre Russell: রাসেলের সঙ্গে সম্পর্ক ভাঙছে কেকেআর? যে অঙ্কে এগোচ্ছে টিম…
Paris 2024: প্যারিসে ভারতের পদক সংখ্যা ছুঁল ২৯, জ্যাভলিনে সোনা নবদীপের
Shubman Gill: রাত পোহালেই শুভমন গিলের বিশেষ দিন, বড় সারপ্রাইজ আয়োজন গুজরাট টাইটান্সের
Khali Net Worth: দ্য গ্রেট খলিকে মনে পড়ে! রইল সম্পত্তির পরিমাণ, ব্যক্তিগত জীবনের অজানা তথ্য
Musheer Khan: মুশির খানকে এখনই ভারতীয় দলের বিকল্প দেখছেন প্রাক্তন ক্রিকেটার!
বদলে যাবে বাংলাদেশের জাতীয় সঙ্গীত?
যে কোনও সময় আসতে পারে সুখবর, হাসপাতালে দীপিকা
Sreemoyee Chattoraj on RG Kar Issue: বিতর্কে কাঞ্চন মল্লিক, মুখ খুললেন স্ত্রী শ্রীময়ী চট্টরাজ
Viral Video: আদালতে শুনানির সময়ে নিজের মেয়ের ধর্ষক-খুনিকে পরপর গুলি!
Tollywood Controversy, Swarup Biswas: স্বরূপ বিশ্বাস ক্ষুদ্র স্বার্থসিদ্ধিতে মেতে উঠেছেন— উঠল বিস্ফোরক অভিযোগ!
![টলি-নায়িকাকে যৌন হেনস্থার অভিযোগ, সাসপেন্ড হয়ে কী বলছেন অরিন্দম শীল? টলি-নায়িকাকে যৌন হেনস্থার অভিযোগ, সাসপেন্ড হয়ে কী বলছেন অরিন্দম শীল?](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/arindam-sil-.jpg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![জলপাইগুড়িতে নাবালিকাকে ধর্ষণের দায়ে জওয়ানের ২৫ বছরের কারাদণ্ড জলপাইগুড়িতে নাবালিকাকে ধর্ষণের দায়ে জওয়ানের ২৫ বছরের কারাদণ্ড](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/physical-harassment.jpg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![RMO ও সিনিয়র রেসিডেন্ট চিকিৎসকদের তথ্য তলব, উদ্দেশ্য নিয়ে প্রশ্ন RMO ও সিনিয়র রেসিডেন্ট চিকিৎসকদের তথ্য তলব, উদ্দেশ্য নিয়ে প্রশ্ন](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Swasthya-Bhavan.jpg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![জুনিয়র ডাক্তারদের বার্তা RG করের রোগীকল্যাণ সমিতির চেয়ারম্যানের জুনিয়র ডাক্তারদের বার্তা RG করের রোগীকল্যাণ সমিতির চেয়ারম্যানের](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TMC-MLA-Sudipto-Roy.jpg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![রাসেলের সঙ্গে সম্পর্ক ভাঙছে কেকেআর? যে অঙ্কে এগোচ্ছে টিম... রাসেলের সঙ্গে সম্পর্ক ভাঙছে কেকেআর? যে অঙ্কে এগোচ্ছে টিম...](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Will-KKR-release-Andre-Russell-ahead-of-IPL-2025-Mega-Auction.jpg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![বদলে যাবে বাংলাদেশের জাতীয় সঙ্গীত? বদলে যাবে বাংলাদেশের জাতীয় সঙ্গীত?](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bangladesh.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![যে কোনও সময় আসতে পারে সুখবর, হাসপাতালে দীপিকা যে কোনও সময় আসতে পারে সুখবর, হাসপাতালে দীপিকা](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/DEEPIKA-PADUKONE-RANVEER-SINGH.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![বিতর্কে কাঞ্চন মল্লিক, মুখ খুললেন স্ত্রী শ্রীময়ী চট্টরাজ বিতর্কে কাঞ্চন মল্লিক, মুখ খুললেন স্ত্রী শ্রীময়ী চট্টরাজ](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/What-did-Sreemoyee-Chattoraj-say-on-RG-Kar-Issue.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![আদালতে শুনানির সময়ে নিজের মেয়ের ধর্ষক-খুনিকে পরপর গুলি! আদালতে শুনানির সময়ে নিজের মেয়ের ধর্ষক-খুনিকে পরপর গুলি!](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Viral-Reel-Footage-Of-Woman-Shooting-Her-Daughters-Murderer-In-Court.jpg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![স্বরূপ বিশ্বাস ক্ষুদ্র স্বার্থসিদ্ধিতে মেতে উঠেছেন— উঠল বিস্ফোরক অভিযো স্বরূপ বিশ্বাস ক্ষুদ্র স্বার্থসিদ্ধিতে মেতে উঠেছেন— উঠল বিস্ফোরক অভিযো](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Directors-guild-brought-some-deep-allegation-against-Swarup-Biswas.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![চিন নিয়ে টানাপোড়েন! সুলতানের সঙ্গে দেখা নমোর―বড় পদক্ষেপ? চিন নিয়ে টানাপোড়েন! সুলতানের সঙ্গে দেখা নমোর―বড় পদক্ষেপ?](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/International-Politics-Prime-Minister-Narendra-Modis-Visit-To-Brunei.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![সরাসরি প্রধানমন্ত্রীকে উদ্দেশ্য করে কী বললেন শুভশ্রী? সরাসরি প্রধানমন্ত্রীকে উদ্দেশ্য করে কী বললেন শুভশ্রী?](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Image-2024-09-01-at-10.11.38-PM-1.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![দুর্নীতির অভিযোগ থেকে ধর্ষণকাণ্ড, আরজি করের গায়ে কালির দাগ? দুর্নীতির অভিযোগ থেকে ধর্ষণকাণ্ড, আরজি করের গায়ে কালির দাগ?](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/RG-KAR.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![শেষ মুহূর্তে কেন সিদ্ধান্ত বদল ইন্দিরার? শেষ মুহূর্তে কেন সিদ্ধান্ত বদল ইন্দিরার?](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/INDIRA-GANDHI.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
![অভিনেত্রী সুচিত্রা সেনের পারিশ্রমিক শুনলে অবাক হয়ে যাবেন! জানেন কত? অভিনেত্রী সুচিত্রা সেনের পারিশ্রমিক শুনলে অবাক হয়ে যাবেন! জানেন কত?](https://images.tv9bangla.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Suchitra-Sen.jpeg?w=280&ar=16:9)
Commentary
Right then, that is it from this one-sided affair. India opens their account in the Super Eights stage while Afghanistan have it all to do in their next two games. However, the action does not stop here as we have a big clash coming up between Australia and Bangladesh on 21st June, Friday. That match will begin at 6 am (12.30 am GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up. Until then, cheers and goodbye!
Rohit Sharma, the victorious skipper of India starts by saying that over the last couple of years, they have come to the West Indies and have played a few T20Is and are familiar with the conditions. Adds that 180 was a tremendous effort by the batters and then they knew they had a class bowling lineup. Mentions that it is crucial that the likes of Surya and Hardik come to form and every individual has to do their job and applauds that partnership. On Jasprit Bumrah, says that everyone knows he is class and it is about using him smartly and Bumrah himself takes the responsibility to achieve that. On the extra spinner, he says that nothing is concrete with the playing XI and it also depends on the opposition and if the next venue offers something for the seamers, they will be open to bringing back the extra seamer.
Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan says that they knew, they would be chasing in excess of 160 but they could have been smarter with their executions. Adds that his bowling is coming off well and he is hitting the right areas, but the result matters the most. Mentions that they have enjoyed their cricket everywhere but the most important thing is the mindset. Ends by saying that they will play according to the conditions after assessing if it is a batting or bowling track.
Suryakumar Yadav is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his breezy half-century. He says that there's a lot of hard work and practice that goes into his play. Adds that he is really happy to get the win and is happy to be the first Indian batter to get the player of the match as well in this tournament. On Rashid Khan, he says that Rashid is very difficult to pick but you have to take him on and he is happy to have had the better of him in this game. Mentions that there is a game plan from the start but he plays according to the game situation and had a chat with Hardik Pandya about keeping their foot on the pedal as it would get hard to hit the ball in the death overs due to the reverse swing and the slower deliveries.
Presentation Time...
Earlier in the game, India posted a big total on the board courtesy of a fine half-century from SKY along with crucial contributions from Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel. Afghanistan were a bit off in this game with the ball and it was their skipper, Rashid Khan who was the pick of the bowler with three wickets. Fazalhaq Farooqi also got three, while Naveen-ul-Haq chipped in with one. While chasing, the Afghans came out with intent, but they kept on losing wickets in clusters that did not help them at all as they faced back-to-back defeats in this World Cup.
India, on the other hand, after a shaky first over, were all over the Afghans throughout the game. Jasprit Bumrah got rid of Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the second over. Axar followed it up by dismissing Ibrahim Zadran, while it was Bumrah again who sent Hazratullah Zazai back to the hut. They allowed a partnership to build in the middle overs but after the drinks break, it was all India once again. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja sent back both the set batters, and Afghanistan could not really recover from that. Bumrah and Kuldeep added one more to their tallies while Arshdeep Singh wrapped things up with three wickets in his last two overs.
Afghanistan needed a quick start, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a few lusty blows to put the pressure on Arshdeep. However, it all fell apart when he got out in the second over and his opening partner, Hazratullah Zazai followed suit, while Ibrahim Zadran also failed to make much of an impact After that, it was the pair of Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai who steadied the ship with a decent partnership, but the asking rate kept creeping up. They tried to up the ante, but both the set batters lost their wicket in quick succession, and they suffered a collapse afterward as no batter could stick around for much longer. In the end, they fell short by a big margin of 47 runs.
CLINICAL PERFORMANCE FROM INDIA! The bowlers were just too hot to handle for the Afghans here and the Men in Blue keeps their unbeaten streak in this World Cup intact. They were under a bit of pressure when they lost the two big guns early, but Suryakumar Yadav showed why he is the number-one ranked batter in this format, and then the entire bowling unit came to the party to register a convincing victory.
Runs Scored 8 Runs
Score after 20 overs : 134/10
N Ahmad12 (18)
F Farooqi4 (1)
A Singh4-0-36-3
OUT! CAUGHT! That's it, Arshdeep Singh gets his third wicket and India bundles out Afghanistan on the final delivery. Arshdeep runs in from over the stumps and pitches the ball up on the fifth stump line, looking to angle it across. Noor Ahmad hangs deep and goes after it trying to go over covers but the ball comes off the toe-end of the bat and doesn't travel much further away from Rohit Sharma at covers. The Indian skipper makes no error and India win the game by 47 huge runs!
WIDE! And again and that's a bit unnecessary from Arshdeep Singh putting it so much effort for nothing. Fuller in length and well outside the off stump, Rishabh Pant springs across to make the save.
WIDE! Arshdeep Singh will have to reload the final delivery here. Full and quick again, looking for the wide yorker but this is spilled beyond the tramline for a wide.
Excellent comeback delivery from Arshdeep Singh. Full and quick, nails it in the blockhole around off and Noor Ahmad fails to dig it out.
SIX! Noor Ahmad finally connects one and that is a flat six! Banged in short again over middle and leg, Noor gets on top of the bounce and muscles it off the front foot and just over the fence behind deep square leg for a biggie.
Another miss and Noor Ahmad is just swinging a bit too hard at the ball. Bowled from over the stumps and banged into the deck over of and middle. Noor tries to hang back and pull but misses the ball.
Swing and a miss! Bowled full and wide of the off stump with a bit more effort behind it. Noor Ahmad goes across to the off side and throws the kitchen sink at it but fails to connect.
Pitched up on a length and outside off, Noor Ahmad throws his hands at it and slices it up over the cover region and denies the single once again.
Runs Scored 1 Runs
Score after 19 overs : 126/9
N Ahmad6 (12)
F Farooqi4 (1)
J Bumrah4-1-7-3
Good stop from the keeper! A smidge fuller, trying to attack the pads but this is spilled down leg. Noor Ahmad gets a bit of pad on it and Rishabh Pant dives across to his left to get his gloves on it. The batters manage to scamper across for a leg bye.
On a good length around off and angling away, Noor Ahmad has a poke at it but gets beaten past the outside edge.
Back of a length and over middle, Noor Ahmad gets cramped up and mistimes the pull badly towards mid on.
On a length and around off stump again, Noor Ahmad stays put and hits it towards cover again. No single taken!
A full toss now on the off stump line, Noor Ahmad punches it away straight to the man at covers.
On a fuller length and around off stump, Noor Ahmad pushes it away towards cover.
Runs Scored 6 Runs
Score after 18 overs : 125/9
F Farooqi4 (1)
N Ahmad6 (6)
A Singh3-0-28-2
EDGED AND FOUR! Arshdeep Singh comes agonizingly close to picking up a hat-trick but it ends up being a boundary instead. Pitched up from around the stumps and trying to angle it into the off stump, Fazalhaq Farooqi looks to hang back and block but gets an outside edge that runs past the keeper and into the third man fence.
Fazalhaq Farooqi is the last man in and will face the hat-trick ball.
OUT! CAUGHT! Too hot to handle for Naveen-ul-Haq and Arshdeep Singh has got two in two now. Banged in quick and short over middle and leg, rushing onto the batter and at a difficult height. Naveen just swings at it and gets a top edge back over the keeper's head. Rishabh Pant runs back towards short fine leg and pouches it safely. Afghanistan going down in a hurry now.
Naveen-ul-Haq walks out bat now.
OUT! CAUGHT! This is bowled on the fuller side of a length ball and angled well across the off stump. Rashid Khan reaches out, gets under it and knowingly opens the bat face, looking to slice it up and over backward point. The ball is miscued a bit and goes aerial to wide third man where Ravindra Jadeja takes a simple enough catch and Arshdeep Singh also gets his name in the wickets column.
WIDE! Back to over the wicket now and bowls on a good length but well outside the off stump, Rashid Khan has a slash at it but misses.
Comes from around the stumps now and bowls a shorter delivery at the batter, Noor Ahmad gets the pull high on the bat and gets it down to long on for a run.