India defeated Afghanistan by 47 runs in their ICC T20 World Cup Super Eights clash at Barbados on Thursday night. This victory was marked by an explosive half-century from Suryakumar Yadav and top-class bowling spells from Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
Reflecting on the match, Indian captain Rohit Sharma praised the team’s all-round performance.
“The way our bowlers executed their plans was exceptional. Suryakumar and Hardik’s partnership was the turning point in our batting,”
he said.
Match Highlights
India’s batting innings saw a mix of resilience and aggression. After opting to bat first, India faced an early setback when skipper Rohit Sharma struggled to get going and was caught by Rashid Khan for just eight runs. Despite this, India scored 47/1 by the end of the powerplay, thanks to Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli’s efforts.
Suryakumar Yadav’s entry at the crease greatly boosted India’s innings. He formed a crucial 60-run partnership with Hardik Pandya, displaying a combination of skilful shots and aggressive batting.
Suryakumar’s half-century came off just 27 balls, featuring five fours and three sixes. His outstanding performance was instrumental in pushing India’s total to 181/8 in their 20 overs.
Afghanistan’s bowlers had their moments, with Rashid Khan and Farooqi taking three wickets each. However, their efforts were not enough to contain the Indian batsmen.
Afghanistan’s Run Chase
Chasing a target of 182, Afghanistan started with a promising display from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who hit a four and a six in the first over. However, Jasprit Bumrah quickly removed Gurbaz for 11 runs, setting the tone for India’s bowling attack. Afghanistan struggled to build partnerships, losing wickets at regular intervals.
By the end of the powerplay, Afghanistan was at 35/3, with Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh dismantling their top order. Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai tried to stabilize the innings but were soon dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja, respectively.
Bumrah’s brilliant spell saw him take three wickets for just seven runs, while Arshdeep Singh also impressed with three wickets for 36 runs.
Afghanistan’s innings ended at 124 all out, giving India a 47-run victory.
Afghanistan’s skipper Rashid Khan acknowledged the challenge posed by the Indian team.
“We started well but lost momentum. Credit to India’s bowlers for their disciplined performance,”
he noted.
Looking Ahead
With this win, India is now positioned strongly in the Super Eights, needing solid performances in their upcoming matches against Bangladesh on June 22 and Australia on June 24 to secure a spot in the semifinals. Afghanistan, on the other hand, will need to regroup and come back stronger in their remaining games.
India’s dominant performance against Afghanistan in their T20 World Cup Super Eights clash showcased their depth in both batting and bowling, setting them up for a strong campaign ahead.
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