A superb 131 off 84 deliveries from Rohit Sharma – his seventh century in ODI World Cups – built on the momentum provided by Jasprit Bumrah’s excellent four-wicket haul to drive India to an eight-wicket win over Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
Forced to field after Afghanistan’s captain Hashmatullah Shahidi chose to bat, India had their opponents in some bother at 63 for 3 in the 14th over, a wobble that was put in motion by Bumrah in a fine opening spell of 4-0-9-1. Bumrah was exceptional from one end, even as Mohammed Siraj allowed some respite, and the ball he sent down to Ibrahim Zadran was Test-match quality. It hit a length and deviated just enough to find the outer edge.
That Afghanistan rallied to 184 for 3 owed to a very smart partnership between Shahidi (80 off 88 balls) and Azmatullah Omarzai (62 off 69), but that the total ended at 272 for 8 instead of 300 was because of how well Bumrah applied the brakes.
Kuldeep Yadav also deserves a mention because his 10 overs cost just 40 runs on an unforgiving pitch, and his extraction of Shahidi in the 43rd over was the turning point. Bumrah returned for his last spell, which saw him hit nagging lengths and add the wickets of
Mohammad Nabi (19), Najibullah Zadran (2) and Rashid Khan (16) on the way to figures of 4/39 from his quota.
India’s chase was all about Rohit. Batting with the confidence of a man out to atone for his duck in the previous match versus Australia, Rohit attacked Afghanistan’s bowlers and sped to his half-century in 30 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. At the other end, Ishan Kishan was on 11 from 17 balls when the ten-over mark had India 94 without loss.
Be it pace or spin, Rohit just did not let Afghanistan’s bowlers settle. His lofting over the infield and clips off the pads were effortless, and had the Indian stands at a near full Arun Jaitley Stadium cheering. All Ishan had to do was sit back and watch, such was his skipper’s aggression and control.
The hundred was duly achieved in the 18th over, off 63 deliveries, and Rohit continued until on 131 he attempted at ambitious swipe across the line to Rashid Khan and was bowled. Kishan had departed earlier for a run-a-ball 47, also to Rashid, and those two wickets were all that went Afghanistan’s way.
Virat Kohli (55*) and Shreyas Iyer (25*) completed the chase without further fuss.
