India vs Afghanistan faced each other in the ninth match of World Cup 2023. The match was held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. This match starts at 2 pm on 11 October. Afghanistan elects to 1st bat.
India 273 for 2 beat Afghanistan 272 for 8 by 8 wickets.
| Players | Runs |
|---|---|
| Sharma | 131 |
| Kohli | 55* |
| Rashid | 2-57 |
| Players | Runs |
|---|---|
| Shahidi | 80 |
| Omarzai | 62 |
| Bumrah | 4-39 |
The clash between India and Afghanistan in the 2019 World Cup proved to be a tightly contested encounter. However, the narrative took a dramatic turn in 2023, primarily due to the explosive batting display by Rohit Sharma.
His scintillating century not only averted any sense of jeopardy but also solidified India’s dominance in the match. The initial ten overs of the chase witnessed Rohit, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most hundreds at the ODI World Cup, launching a relentless assault on every Afghanistan bowler.
This transformed what could have been a potentially challenging pursuit of 273 runs into a seemingly effortless cakewalk, simultaneously boosting India’s net run rate.
India vs Afghanistan Highlights
Adding to the triumph, Virat Kohli contributed a crucial half-century, encapsulating a near-perfect day for the Indian team. Their disciplined performance with the ball earlier in the game played a pivotal role in limiting Afghanistan to a below-par total.
Despite noteworthy half-centuries from Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai, India’s strategic bowling approach set the stage for a comfortable eight-wicket victory, achieved with a substantial 15 overs to spare.
India’s top order, including Rohit Sharma, faced a significant setback against Australia as the hosts found themselves at 2 for 3. Today, Rohit was determined to ensure there would be no repetition of such a collapse.
The opening moments were relatively subdued, but Rohit’s first boundary signaled a shift, unleashing a barrage of aggressive strokes. Fazalhaq Farooqi bore the brunt as Rohit struck a six over long-off, followed by a couple of fours. This pattern repeated in the next over, as Rohit accelerated to a lightning half-century in just 27 balls, the fastest by an Indian in an ODI World Cup.
The assault continued, with additional sixes and boundaries during the powerplay, propelling India to a formidable 94, the highest in the tournament at that point. Ishan Kishan played a supporting role, allowing Rohit to showcase his elegant yet powerful batting style.
Even the spinners, including Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, couldn’t escape Rohit’s onslaught, conceding multiple boundaries in quick succession. By the 18th over, Rohit achieved an inevitable century in just 63 balls, setting a new record for the fastest hundred by an Indian in an ODI World Cup a feat not surprising given Rohit’s batting prowess.
Despite Rashid Khan dismissing Ishan Kishan, Rohit continued to dominate alongside Virat Kohli. Rashid, entering the bowling attack later than his team might have hoped, eventually dismissed Rohit for an impressive 131 runs.
However, by that point, India only needed to go through the motions to secure the win. Kohli’s innings became more of a batting practice session, and as he confidently struck the winning shot down the ground, the net session and India’s victory were concluded.
Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat, but a substantial portion of their innings was characterized by a surplus of dot balls punctuated by sporadic boundaries. While Jasprit Bumrah remained challenging to score against, Mohammad Siraj faced a tough spell, conceding 76 runs in nine overs.
The early wickets of openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, coupled with Rahmat Shah’s dismissal by Shardul Thakur, left Afghanistan in a precarious position at 63 for 3.
However, Afghanistan’s fortunes took a positive turn with a noteworthy partnership between Shahidi and Omarzai, amassing 121 runs. This alliance made the spinners less effective, compelling Rohit Sharma to reintroduce the pace bowlers earlier than planned. In the latter stages, as both batsmen secured half-centuries, Afghanistan seemed poised for a total exceeding 300.
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The momentum, however, took a downturn when Hardik Pandya dismissed Omarzai with an off-cutter. Mohammad Nabi struggled to find his rhythm, contributing a slow-paced 19 off 27 balls, hindering Afghanistan’s momentum instead of fortifying it.
Subsequent batsmen were unable to regain control, and despite Shahidi’s resilient 88-ball 80, a significant blow came when he fell while attempting a reverse sweep to Kuldeep Yadav, dashing any hopes of reaching the 300-run mark.
The late efforts of Rashid, Mujeeb, and Naveed added some runs, pushing the final score to 272. Yet, as Rohit Sharma ensured with his batting prowess, it ultimately proved insufficient in the end.
