India 273 for two (Sharma 131, Kohli 55*, Rashid 2-57) beat Afghanistan 272 for 8 (Shahidi 80, Omarzai 62, Bumrah 4-39) by 8 wickets
India’s prime order, Rohit included, had missed out badly towards Australia after the hosts fell to 2 for 3. Right this moment, Rohit would guarantee there was to be no repeat of that. A sedate first couple of overs had been adopted by Rohit’s first boundary, and the floodgates opened. Fazalhaq Farooqi was belted over long-off for a six adopted up by a few fours. There was a repeat dose in his following Farooqi over, with Rohit rushing alongside to a lightning half-century, which he introduced up with a boundary, off 27 balls. One other couple of sixes and a boundary adopted, and by the top of the powerplay, India had rollicked alongside to 94, the very best of this match.
With Ishan Kishan content material to play a supporting position on the different finish, Rohit let his languid arms unfastened. The spinners weren’t spared; Mujeeb-ur-Rahman leaking three boundaries in 4 deliveries to the opener, and earlier than the top of the 18th over, the inevitable Rohit hundred was up. Coming in 63 balls, it was the quickest by an Indian at an ODI World Cup; that Rohit was the one which achieved that report was not within the least shocking.
Rashid Khan eliminated Ishan Kishan on the different finish, however Rohit simply motored together with Kohli for some time. However Rashid, who got here on to bowl later than his facet maybe wanted him, lastly cleaned him up with a flipper for 131, although by now India wanted solely to undergo the motions. Kohli’s innings was little greater than batting apply, and by the point he tonked the profitable shot again down the bottom, that internet session, and India’s win, was full.
Afghanistan’s greatest passage of play would comply with. Shahidi and Omarzai compiled a 121-run partnership that rendered the spinners largely ineffective, forcing Rohit to carry the quicks again sooner than he may need needed. In direction of the again finish, as each introduced up half-centuries, Afghanistan had been selecting up boundaries at will, and appeared primed for a complete in extra of 300.
As soon as Hardik Pandya cleaned up Omarzai with an off cutter, although, issues started to crumble. Mohammad Nabi appeared woefully out of contact, his knock of 19 off 27 robbing Afghanistan of momentum as a substitute of giving it any, and the boys that adopted may by no means fairly wrench management again. Shahidi plugged alongside, his 88-ball 80 very important in placing up a decent rating, however when he fell reverse-sweeping to Kuldeep Yadav, any hopes of 300 went up in smoke.
It left Rashid, Mujeeb and Naveed to play dainty little cameos that pushed the rating as much as the 272 they managed, however as Rohit ensured, it was a lot too little in the long run.
