In a thrilling Super Eight stage match of the T20 World Cup, India secured a crucial 47-run victory over Afghanistan, who had been dominant in the first round. The match, held in Bridgetown, saw India setting a challenging target of 182 runs for Afghanistan, who were bowled out for 134 runs in the final over.
India won the toss and elected to bat first. The innings began cautiously, but the team suffered an early setback when captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for just 8 runs by Fazal Haq Farooqui with the score at 11. Rishabh Pant then took charge, scoring a brisk 20 off 11 balls, while Virat Kohli contributed a steady 24 off 24 balls.
India start their Super Eight phase in style 🤩
— ICC (@ICC) June 20, 2024
They register a thumping victory in Barbados on the back of a Jasprit Bumrah masterclass 👏#T20WorldCup | #AFGvIND | 📝: https://t.co/Bpkf5WGyh1 pic.twitter.com/E5Cdf95hX0
Rashid Khan proved to be a formidable opponent, dismissing Pant for 54 and Kohli for 62, putting pressure back on the Indian team. Despite these setbacks, India managed to build momentum through a crucial 60-run partnership between Surya Kumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya for the fifth wicket. Yadav's quickfire 53 and Pandya's 32 helped India reach a total of 181 for 8 in their 20 overs. Additional contributions came from Shivam Dube with 10 runs, Ravindra Jadeja with 7, and Akshar Patel who remained unbeaten with 12 runs, while Arsdeep Singh added 2 not out.
Innovation and excellence 🔥
— ICC (@ICC) June 20, 2024
Suryakumar Yadav is awarded the @Aramco POTM after his half-century proved to be the pivotal knock in the match 🏅#T20WorldCup #AFGvIND pic.twitter.com/xnNV2LZbpW
On the bowling front, Afghanistan's Fazal Haq Farooqui and Rashid Khan each took three wickets, while Naveen ul Haq chipped in with one wicket.
In their chase, Afghanistan struggled to maintain the required run rate and were ultimately bowled out for 134 runs. Despite their efforts, the Indian bowlers kept a tight grip on the game, ensuring a comfortable win for India in this important Super Eight encounter.
This match marked the first Super Eight appearance for both teams in Group 1, setting the stage for an exciting phase in the T20 World Cup.
