T20 World Cup: India thrash Afghanistan by 66 runs, remain alive in race for semi-finals

Team India thrashed Afghanistan by a margin of 66 runs in their T20 World Cup 2021 encounter on Wednesday. The Virat Kohli-led side showcased prowess in all departments to pull off a significant triumph, which keeps them alive in the race for the semi-finals. Openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were simply magnificent, scoring breathtaking half-centuries to help the Indian team post a total of 210 runs for the loss of two wickets. The bowlers delivered a fantastic performance themselves, chipping in with wickets at regular intervals to restrict Afghanistan to a total of 144 runs for the loss of seven wickets.

“The idea was to go after it, and get off to a good start, which didn’t happen in the first two games and lay the platform for the others. Exceptional batting from Rahul, and that partnership was vital. We were prepared to field first, and it was a good pitch to bat on. Getting to a respectable total was important, and the NRR could come into play so we had to win by a good margin, so glad we got that. Today it was necessary to get off to a good start, and that’s not my natural game – I usually like to get in. So I made an effort to settle in, play cricketing shots, and put up a big total,” said Rohit as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Fantastic performance by Indian batters

Rahul and Rohit delivered a fantastic performance right from the first delivery, smashing the ball to all corners of the ground. The former accumulated 69 runs off 48 deliveries in an innings comprising of six boundaries and two sixes. Rohit smashed 74 runs in 47 balls with the knock including eight fours and three maximums. Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya were quite magnificent as well, chipping in with fine cameos down the order. Pant accumulated 27 runs from 13 deliveries in an innings comprising of a boundary and three sixes. Hardik smashed 35 runs in 13 balls, with the knock including four fours and two maximums. Gulbadin Naib and Karim Janat chipped in with a dismissal apiece for Afghanistan

Karim Janat’s cameo unable to help Afghanistan get across the finishing line

Karim Janat was the only Afghanistan batter who managed to pose a challenge, smashing 42 runs off 22 deliveries in an innings comprising of three boundaries and two sixes. Mohammed Shami dominated proceedings, accounting for three dismissals. Ravichandran Ashwin looked confident as well, picking two wickets.

“Much better wicket to be fair. We spoke about the fact that in the other games, if we just had two overs of free-flowing batting, then that sends a message to the opposition that we are going to put you under the pump. When we do that, we know how we can play. Sometimes, you do fall to the pressure and have to accept that. T20 cricket is a very instinctive game, in batting, bowling and decision-making. We do make decisions on the go. Top three is mostly settled unless situations like today when the openers batted all the way through and the power-hitters were ready,” said Kohli after the win.

“We don’t always decide early to go hard, but we do back ourselves and when we do get going, we know what we can do. Well, yes that is the plan (to keep playing this way) but as I said, sometimes you just give in to the pressure. The other teams bowled really well to us. Yes, it (net run rate) was to be honest. We are always positive, and so were thinking about it. The return of Ash (is the biggest positive), we saw him doing well in the IPL and when he does this, we get control in the middle overs. That’s what I’m most pleased about (today),” he added.