Indian batters finally performed, as they recorded the highest total of the tournament, scoring 210 against Afghanistan. Afghanistan were always in jeopardy once the target was 211. They lost early wickets, and despite Gurbaz’s breezy cameo, his dismissal brought the game to a halt. The outcome was no longer important because it was predetermined; instead, it became a battle for net run rate between the two teams. In the end, neither party appears to be too dissatisfied, albeit India appears to be the happier side.
Kohli lost another toss and Afghanistan chose to field
Afghanistan went against their formula of batting first and inserted India to bat. It was only the third instance in the last 16 games, where Afghanistan opted to bowl after winning the toss. The tournament has been extremely chase-friendly, and with a lot of dew, it was a unique choice not only for these reasons but also because it reflected their attitude.
Indian openers back in-form
Unlike their previous two games, India didn’t have to cope with a left-arm swing bowler, a quick pacer, or a tricky spinner in this match. Rashid Khan was their only significant threat, and even he wasn’t as successful without assistance. India got off to a flying start, thanks to Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, who took advantage of an inexperienced Afghan bowling lineup. Both players hit half-centuries.
Pandya & Pant provide finishing touch
The worst time to bowl to good hitters is when they have nothing to lose and know there are batters behind them. Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya smashed five sixes and five fours between them to pulverize the opposition without worrying about putting a price on their wickets.
The vintage duo of Ashwin and Jadeja
With some strong strikes, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib slaved some in the Powerplay, but the spinners yanked them back. For the first time since 2017, Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin collaborated in limited-overs cricket. With two right-handed batters in the middle, Jadeja was called on first. He struck in his first over, bringing in a left-handed batter for Ashwin, who then used a carrom ball to dismiss Naib. Afghanistan were facing a humiliating defeat at 69 for 5 when Ashwin got rid of Najibullah Zadran.
It’s Diwali season in India, which is also known as the ‘Festival of Lights’. The cricket supporters’ celebrations may have appeared to be a little damp before the game, but with such a dominant performance from India, the nation can comfortably celebrate Diwali with hope.