India crushes Afghanistan
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Group 2
India Vs Afghanistan.
India 210-2, 20 ov, Rahul 69 off 48, 6 fours, 2 sixes, Rohit Sharma 74 off 47, 8 fours, 3 soxes, Pant 27 off 13, 1 fours, 3 sixes, H Pandya 35 off 13, 4 fours, 2 sixes, Gulbadin 1-39, Janat 1-7.
Afghanistan 144-7, 20 ov, Nabi 35 off 32, 2 fours, 1 six, Janat 42 * off 22, 3 fours, 2 sixes, Shami 3-23, Bumrah 1-25, Jadeja 1-19, R Ashwin 2-14.
India win by 66 runs
India kept their hopes of reaching the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-finals alive with a thumbing 66-run victory over Afghanistan.
India made a stunning start on must win game as Rohit Sharma who made 74 off 47balls and KL Rahul 69 off 48 shared an opening partnership of 140 within 14.4 overs in Abu Dhabi.
Rohit and Rahul steered India to 210-2 with Pandya 35 not out from 13 and Pant 27 not out from 13.
Mohammad Shahzad swipes a good length ball from Shami which balloons to Ravichandran Ashwin at mid off. Afghanistan 13-1 Then Jasprit Bumrah deceives Hazaratullah Zazai who was looking for a slog sweep managed to slice into leg side into the hands of Shardul Thakur, Afghanistan 13-2.
Afghanistan never looked capable of chasing 211 but was limiting the severity of their defeat to protect their superior net run-rate which determines who progresses if multiple teams finish equal on the same points.
After slipping to 69-5 in the 12th over, Karim Janat and Mohammad Nabi, who scored 42 not out and 35 respectively helped Afghanistan to reach 144-7.
The margin of the victory keep India in a thrilling three-team race with Afghanistan and New Zealand for the second spot behind Group 2 leaders Pakistan.
New Zealand will go through if they beat Namibia and Afghanistan, regardless of other results.
If the Black caps lose either game, India who face Scotland and Namibia will qualify if they win both their games and overhaul Afghanistan and New Zealand’s run-rates.