Picture : ICC / X
A dominant India came out with a strong all-round show to beat Afghanistan by 8 wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium , New Delhi . On a hot day Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bat first on a flat surface
Afghanistan posted a respected 272 / 8 in their 50 overs . Skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi showed the way with a fine 80 ( 88 balls , 8 fours, 1 six) , Azmatullah Omarzai scored 62 ( 69 balls 2 fours, 4 sixes 0 . The duo were the only stars the rest flopped . Rahmanullah Gurbaz ( 21), Ibrahim Zadran ( 22), Rahmat Shah ( 16) , Mohammad Nabi ( 19) , Rashid Khan ( 16)
For India , Jasprit Bumrah led the way with 4/ 39 ( 10 overs), Mohammed Siraj was expensive 0/ 76 ( 9 overs) , Hardik Pandya 2/43( 7 overs), Shardul Thakur 1/ 31 ( 6 overs), Kuldeep Yadav 1/ 40 ( 10 overs) , Ravindra Jadeja 0/ 38 ( 8 overs)
In reply India got off to a blazing start with openers Skipper Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan who put on 156 for the first wicket when Ishan fell . Kishan scored a quick 47 ( 47 balls, 5 fours , 2 sixes).
But it was Skipper Rohit Sharma who played a blistering knock and scored a superb to 131 ( 84 balls, 16 fours , 5 sixes) . The innings of Rohit had class written all over with trademark pull and lofted shots.
India march to their second successive win off the back of a dominant display in Delhi 💪#CWC23 #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/zZdVDmmCEU
— ICC (@ICC) October 11, 2023
Later Virat Kohli joined the party , just carrying on his form the Australia encounter, on home ground Virat was imperious in his unbeaten 55 ( 56 balls , 6 fours) . Fittingly Virat hit the match- winning four to clinch the match.
Shreyas Iyer finally got some runs and was unbeaten on 25 . India finishing strongly at 273 / 2 in (35 overs) and winning emphatically by 8 wickets .
For Afghanistan the Both Indian wickets were taken By Rashid Khan 2/ 57 ( 8 overs) . Other Afghan bowlers did not give Rashid the support and their figures said it all – Fazalhaq Farooqi 0/ 50 ( 6 0vers), Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0/ 64 ( 8 overs) , Naveen-ul-Haq 0/ 31 ( 5 overs) , Azmatullah Omarzai 0/ 34 ( 4 overs), Mohammad Nabi 0/ 32 ( 4 overs)
India now face arch- rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad on October 14 in much awaited clash .
Match: World Cup 2023, 9th Match
Venue: Delhi | Date: October 11, 2023
