World number-one India kicked off the Super Eight stage of the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup with a resounding 47-run victory over Afghanistan on Thursday.
Suryakumar Yadav’s blistering half-century and a dominant bowling performance led by Jasprit Bumrah set the tone for the win.
Yadav, who scored 53 off 28 balls, including five fours and three sixes, played a pivotal role in guiding India to a competitive total of 181 for eight in their 20 overs at Kensington Oval. His 19th T20I fifty earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.
India struggled initially
After choosing to bat, India struggled initially but managed to post a respectable total thanks to Yadav’s aggressive batting. Bumrah then dismantled the Afghan batting line-up with remarkable figures of three for seven from his four overs, while left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh supported with three for 36, restricting Afghanistan to 134 all out.
“Two years ago, we’ve played T20Is here, so we understand the conditions and planned accordingly,” said India captain Rohit Sharma. “We adapted well and got 180, which was a great effort from the batters. We have class bowlers who defended it perfectly. Everyone came in and did their job, that’s critical, and we dwell on it.”
Afghanistan’s chase faltered early, losing prolific opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 11 in the second over, caught behind off Bumrah. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel then dismissed Ibrahim Zadran for eight, and Bumrah struck again to remove Hazratullah Zazai for two, leaving Afghanistan reeling at 35 for three at the end of the Power Play.
Afghanistan lost their last five wickets for 19 runs
Azmatullah Omarzai (26) and Gulbadin Naib attempted to stabilize the innings with a 44-run, fourth-wicket stand, but both fell in quick succession, causing Afghanistan to slump to 71 for five at the halfway mark. The remaining batsmen offered little resistance, and Afghanistan lost their last five wickets for 19 runs, ending their innings on the final ball.
“We knew we’d be chasing 160-170, given it was against a bigger team,” said Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan. “We could’ve done it had we executed smarter.”
Earlier, Yadav and Hardik Pandya (32) combined for a crucial 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket, reviving India’s innings after they were 79 for three at the halfway point. Despite a brief recovery, Afghanistan’s bowlers, led by Khan (three for 26) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (three for 33), managed to claim late wickets, but not before India posted a formidable total.
