DELHI – A powerful knock from Rohit Sharma helped India to bag a dominating victory of eight wickets over Afghanistan in a match of the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023 on Wednesday.
The Indian skipper smacked 131 off 84 before he was removed by Rashid Khan. His opening partner Ishan Kishan was first to be sent to pavilion for 47 by Khan.
Later, Virat Kohli maintained the momentum and helped the team to bag eight-wick win over Afghanistan.
Earlier, Middle order partnership helped Afghanistan set a target of 273 runs for India.
After Afghanistan lost three wickets of their top order, Hashmat Shahidi (80) and Azmat Omarzai (62) rebuilt for their side and put score on board.
After the dismissal of the middle order paid, the team lost quick wickets of Mohammad Nabi, Najib Zardan and Rashid Khan.
Jasparit Bumrah and Pandya took four and two wickets, respectively.
Earlier, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first against India.
The two teams last met during the 2019 World Cup in England where India defeated Afghanistan by 11 runs in Southampton.
Toss news from Delhi ????
Afghanistan win the toss and elect to bat ????
Shardul Thakur comes in place of an India spinner ????#INDvAFG ????: https://t.co/vPfaoNB7m3 pic.twitter.com/qC3NrW5eac
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) October 11, 2023
While the Afghans are yet to register a win over India in their last three matches, it managed a thrilling tie in the 2018 Asia Cup in Dubai.
The Men in Blue will be without the dengue-affected Shubman Gill, who is recuperating in Chennai.
India defeated Australia in their last match. Kohli-Rahul stitch up India’s highest fourth-wicket partnership at the ODI World Cup. The pair broke the record previously held by Navjot Sidhu and Vinod Kambli.
On the other hand, Afghanistan suffered a defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in their opening match of the World Cup.
Squads
INDIA: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, R. Ashwin, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav.
AFGHANISTAN: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Rahman, Riaz Hassan, Noor Ahmad.
