Finance
India defeated Afghanistan by eight wickets and 90 balls to spare in match no. 9 of the ICC World Cup 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s smashed a record-seventh century in an ODI World Cup. After Jasprit Bumrah’s 4/39 performance limited Afghans to 271/8 despite a battling 80 from skipper Hasmatullah Shahidi, Rohit scored 131.
Rohit Sharma’s fireworks-filled innings saw him become the joint-fastest to 1000 runs in a World Cup (tied with David Warner at 19 innings each), breaking Chris Gayle’s records for most sixes (553), most centuries in a 50-over World Cup (7), and the fastest century by an Indian at the World Cup (63 balls) — all in that order — during the the course of his 31st ODI century.
In pursuit of the objective, Rohit Sharma unleashed himself on the Afghan bowling attack in the third over, clipping Fazalhaq Farooqi for a boundary through the square leg zone. Faroozi faced the wrath of Rohit in his next two overs, as the Indian opener smashed him for two sixes and four boundaries as India passed the 50-run mark in the seventh over.
At the other end, Ishan Kishan was a mere spectator as Sharma reached his half-century with a single in the next over. In the powerplay, there was no respite for the Afghan bowlers as India reached 94/0 by the end of the 10th over. The Indian captain scored 77 runs in 43 deliveries.
After the first powerplay, Rohit Sharma seemed to ease off a little, but he quickly wreaked havoc on spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, smashing three boundaries in the 14th over.
The skipper quickly reached the 90s and reached his century in the 18th over, as India passed the 150-run barrier, with Kishan also approaching his maiden World Cup half-century.
Kishan, on the other hand, was caught at 47 in a soft dismissal to Rashid Khan, who broke the 156-run stand in the 19th over. The wicket also served as a reminder that Afghanistan skipper Hasmatullah Shahidi missed a vital trick by not bringing in his finest bowler early in the powerplay.
Rohit Sharma resumed his attack with Virat Kohli, adding 49 runs for the second wicket to send India above 200 runs. Rashid Khan dismissed the skipper in the 26th over with the score at 131 runs off 84 balls (15 fours and five sixes).
The damage, though, had already been done, and by the time Rohit returned to the pavilion, India needed only 67 runs with 24 overs remaining. Former captain Virat Kohli and middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer ensured India’s victory by adding an unbroken 68 runs for the fourth wicket as India chased down 273 with eight wickets and 90 balls to spare.
Virat Kohli made his stay at the crease worth his while too with his 68th half-century as he scored 55* off 56 balls while Shreyas Iyer held the other end at 25 not out.
Earlier, Afghanistan managed to score 272/8 after electing to bat first. Hasmatullah Shahidi (80) and Azmatullah Omarzai (62) scored 121 runs for the fourth wicket to build the groundwork for a large total before Jasprit Bumrah bowled 4/39 to derail the Afghans’ momentum.
This was also the pacer’s greatest bowling spell in a 50-over World Cup.
Source:IANS
