1
6
4
2
1
2
= 16
Match Details
AFG vs IND 33rd Match, T20 WC 2021
AFG
144-720.0
India won by 66 runs 🏆
IND
20.0210-2
Player of the Match
Rohit Sharma
India74(47)
AFG - 2nd Innings| Session | Open | PASS | 6 Over | 46 | 47 | 10 Over | 76 | 61 | 15 Over | 97 | 88 |
|---|
IND - 1st Innings| Session | Open | PASS | 6 Over | 45 | 53 | 10 Over | 86 | 85 | 15 Over | 133 | 142 | 20 Over | 204 | 210 |
|---|
Commentary
All
Highlights
Overs
W
6s
4s
Inn 1
Inn 2
Milestone
So that's all we have from the commentary box. A stunning all-round display by the Men in Blue to keep their slim hopes alive in the T20 World Cup. Ta-ta and goodnight from me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) and my fellow commentators Sourya Chowdhury and Ninaad Dixit.
Virat Kohli, India skipper- Much better wicket to be fair. In the two games earlier if we had that free-flowing attitude that could have sent a message to the oppositions. But sometimes we give in to pressure.
No I think its T20 cricket, its very instinctive when it comes to batting bowling or decision making. The top 3 is almost set. But today was different as the openers set a brilliant foundation for our power hitters. You don't go all out. Sometimes it doesn't come off. Yes for sure. That was the idea from the first game onward.
To give credit to the opposition. We are looking at optimistic way. The net run rate was definitely on our back. We knew we had some chance and needed to focus on that. We as a side have always been possible and hunt down whatever is possible. I think the return of Ash. He is really worked hard for that. Saw his control in the IPL. Very happy to see him back in rhythm and to see him bowl that way is very pleasing.
No I think its T20 cricket, its very instinctive when it comes to batting bowling or decision making. The top 3 is almost set. But today was different as the openers set a brilliant foundation for our power hitters. You don't go all out. Sometimes it doesn't come off. Yes for sure. That was the idea from the first game onward.
To give credit to the opposition. We are looking at optimistic way. The net run rate was definitely on our back. We knew we had some chance and needed to focus on that. We as a side have always been possible and hunt down whatever is possible. I think the return of Ash. He is really worked hard for that. Saw his control in the IPL. Very happy to see him back in rhythm and to see him bowl that way is very pleasing.
Mohammad Nabi, Afghanistan skipper- In this game we tried to bat second because of the dew. The wicket looked very good for batting, in the end there wasn't enough dew. India batted really well in this pitch and put our bowlers under pressure.
Not always, we try to rotate the strike in the middle. In today's game we didn't rotate the strike well. We lost wickets and that put pressure on us.
Not always, we try to rotate the strike in the middle. In today's game we didn't rotate the strike well. We lost wickets and that put pressure on us.
Time for the post-match presentation ceremony with Harsha Bhogle.
Rohit Sharma is the Player of the Match- Yeah that was the idea. We wanted to get off to a good start which didn't happen in the first two games. So that was a conscious effort to lay a foundation for the middle order.
Exceptional batting from KL as well. I mean looking at the trend, whatever games they play they tend to bat first so we were prepared to field first. Getting off to a good start and getting to a respectable total was very important.
In this game we knew run rate could come into play. I mean yes whatever the teams require honestly I have to do that. Today we required to get off to a great start. Not usually what I do. I want to analyse the conditions first but today we got off to a great start which didn't happen in the first two matches. So it was a conscious effort.
Exceptional batting from KL as well. I mean looking at the trend, whatever games they play they tend to bat first so we were prepared to field first. Getting off to a good start and getting to a respectable total was very important.
In this game we knew run rate could come into play. I mean yes whatever the teams require honestly I have to do that. Today we required to get off to a great start. Not usually what I do. I want to analyse the conditions first but today we got off to a great start which didn't happen in the first two matches. So it was a conscious effort.
Arya: They kept losing wickets at regular intervals which never really allowed them to press for the target. Ravichandran Ashwin had a great return to T20I cricket as he returned with sensational figures of 2/14 in his 4 overs. It was a good effort from Karim Janat and Mohammad Nabi to take their score over 100.
Mohammed Shami came back for his second spell and bagged two wickets in the penultimate over to bag his 3rd wicket. Eventually, they were restricted to 144/7 at the end of the 20th over.
Earlier in the day it was the Afghan skipper Mohammad Nabi who won the toss and opted to field. The Indian opening duo of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul finally displayed their outrageous skills as they shared their biggest partnership of 140 runs to set up a perfect platform in a must-win game.
Both played some exceptional shots and Rohit Sharma, in particular, took a heavy toll on the spin wizard Rashid Khan. After the fall of those two wickets, it was Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya who utilised the launchpad to perfection and slammed a 63 runs partnership in just 21 deliveries. Hardik Pandya was finally back to his best, smashing a 13-ball 35 while Pant remained unbeaten on 27 of 33 deliveries.
Arya: So finally India is off the mark. What a dominating all-round performance but it might still be too little too late as they will require help from other teams to harbour hopes of going through to the semi-final. It was an annihilation and courtesy their massive win by 66 runs, India has managed to turn their net run rate into positive which is some good sign for the Men in Blue.
The run chase of 211 was always going to be a daunting task for the Afghans. A short-arm jab from Hazratullah Zazai set off the run-chase perfectly but both the openers fell in successive deliveries to derail their progress. It was Mohammed Shami who sent back Shehzad while Bumrah accounted for Zazai with a beautifully disguised slower delivery.
Virat Kohli decided to give Mohammed Shami the 3rd overs in the powerplay and it was Rahmanullah Gurbaz who took him to the cleaners. He smashed him for 21 runs in that over to indicate the intentions of Afghanistan. They kept going for the big shots but after a brief little partnership between Gulbadin Naib and Gurbaz, it was all but a mountain too steep to climb for Afghanistan.
OVER 20
Afghanistan
144/7
Karim Janat
42(22)
Sharafuddin Ashraf
2(3)
Hardik Pandya
0-23(2.0)
19.6 H Pandya to K Janat
6 SIX to end it, another short one on off, he was waiting for it, predictable ball and he lofts it over the extra cover fence with power. India win by 66 runs.
19.5 H Pandya to S Ashraf
1 Short outside off, lofted to deep mid-wicket, one bounce to him
19.4 H Pandya to K Janat
1 Short again, pulled again, this time front of square to deep mid-wicket for one
19.3 H Pandya to S Ashraf
1 Short one on middle going leg side, pulled down to fine leg for one
19.2 H Pandya to K Janat
1 Angled in fullish on leg, played down to long on for one
19.1 H Pandya to K Janat
4 FOUR! Shortish on off, cut with finesse and power as it rockets to the point fence
OVER 19
Afghanistan
130/7
Sharafuddin Ashraf
0(1)
Karim Janat
30(18)
Mohammad Shami
3-32(4.0)
18.6 M Shami to S Ashraf
0 Another full one on off, played behind the wicket to short third, no runs
18.5 M Shami to K Janat
1 Full out-swinger outside off, played down to long off for one
18.4 M Shami to K Janat
2 Very full in-swinger on leg, played high down the ground straight and will get two
Commentary