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Suryakumar Yadav scored 53 off 28. (AFP Photo)
India got off their T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 campaign off to a good start with an impressive win over Afghanistan in Barbados.
India kickstarted their Super 8 campaign of the 2024 T20 World Cup with an all-round show culminating in a dominating 47-run win over Afghanistan at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Thursday. Suryakumar Yadav ran the show in the first half with a sparkling half-century before Jasprit Bumrah took over with a three-wicket haul.
Chasing 182, Afghanistan were bowled out for 134 in 19.6 overs with Jasprit Bumrah (3/7) and Arshdeep Singh (3/36) taking three wickets each.
On a pitch where other batters struggled to time the ball, Suryakumar was peeling off gorgeous shots one after another. He swept and whipped his way to a 27-ball half-century while adding 60 runs with Hardik Pandya (32 off 24) who looked in fine touch as well.
India posted a challenging 181/8 and Afghanistan got off to a fine start taking 13 runs from their first over before Bumrah outfoxed Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a slower delivery outside off to have him caught behind on 11.
Afghanistan never looked in chase after that blow as India kept landing regular blows. Azmatullah Omarzai (26) and Gulbadin Naib (17) showed some fight with a 44-run stand for the fourth wicket but they failed to keep up with the ever-rising asking rate.
Skipper Rohit Sharma used all six of his bowling options and barring Hardik Pandya (0/13), every other bowler picked up at least a wicket each.
Kuldeep Yadav was included in the playing XI in place of Mohammed Siraj as India shored up their spin department and the left-arm spinner took 2/32 from four overs.
This was after Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan (3/26) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (3/33) combined to keep take down India top-order after captain Rohit Sharma opted to bat first.
Also Read: IND vs AFG Super 8 Highlights
Farooqi got rid of Rohit on 8 before a quick recovery through Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli followed.
Pant (20 off 11) got off to a decent start but he failed to capitalise on a dropped catch after becoming Rashid’s first victim of the match. This was Rashid’s first ever wicket in a T20I against India.
Kohli (24 off 24) struck a gorgeous straight six as he entered the double-digits for the first time this tournament but he fell for run-a-ball 24 that extending his lean patch to four matches.
Rashid picked a wicket in his first three overs including that of Pant, Kohli and Shivam Dube before Suryakumar and Pandya took over the reins. Hardik was at his brutal best, launching a monstrous six of the bowling of Noor Ahmad before departing in the 18th over.
Eventually, India finished with a total that was more than enough.
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