India vs Afghanistan Highlights, T20 World Cup 2021: IND thrash AFG by 66 runs to bag first win of the tournament

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This is Shivansh Gupta signing off. CIAO!

“We usually bat first, we tried to chase due to the dew. Also the wicket looked really good. Yeah, there wasn't much dew, but the wicket played really good. India batted really well, and put us under pressure. Not always, we try to rotate strike a bit too. Today we didn't do well enough but we lost early wickets and that put us under pressure. Hopefully, we can win our last game.”

With this win, India's net run-rate has climbed into the positives (+0.073)

“The idea was to go after it, and get off to a good start, which didn't happen in the first two games and lay the platform for the others. Exceptional batting from Rahul, and that partnership was vital. We were prepared to field first, and it was a good pitch to bat on. Getting to a respectable total was important, and the NRR could come into play so we had to win by a good margin, so glad we got that. Today it was necessary to get off to a good start, and that's not my natural game - I usually like to get in. So I made an effort to settle in, play cricketing shots, and put up a big total,” said Rohit in the post-match ceremony

India (IND 210/2: Rohit 74, Janat 1/7) beat Afghanistan (AFG 144/7: Janat 36*, Ashwin 2/14) by 66 runs

The ‘Men in Blue' are finally off the mark in the tournament as they beat Afghanistan by 66 runs in Abu Dhabi

Hardik Pandya to bowl the final over. 81 runs needed from 6 ball

19.1- FOUR! Cut away by Janat for 4. 

19.2 — Single

19.3 — 1 RUN

19.4 — 1 run

19.5 — 1 run

19.6 — Short and cut away over third man for six by Janat. India seal first win of the showpiece event.

OUT! Mohammed Shami ends Nabi's cameo on 35

Rashid Khan is the new man in

OUT! He had to go for every ball. He holes to Pandya at long on for a golden duck.

AFG are 127/7 in 18.3 overs.

Sharafuddin Ashraf walks out next

Afg need 86 runs from 12 balls. But India know their target is to make sure they concede no more than 24 runs

JUST  SHORT! Janat looks to clear the long-off boundary but doesn't time it. Ishan Kishan puts in a desperate dive forward but the ball died on him very rapidly. His effort is applauded by his MI captain Rohit Sharma with a big smile.

SIX! THIS TIME, KISHAN CAN ONLY WATCH IT SAIL OVER THE FENCE as Nabi connects one and clears the long off boundary with ease.

FOUR! 50-run stand is up between them. Oh, dear. This will hurt India. In order to make sure their Net run-rate enters into positives, they must win by a margin of at least 63 runs. and Nabi is looking to spoil that party. Short from Shardul and he clubs it through deep mid-wicket for 5. 

AFG are 109/5 after 18 overs | Nabi (35*), Janat (26*)

FOUR! Short ball from Bumrah. Janat pulls the balls towards cow corner. Kohli and Jadeja both chase the ball. Kohli gives up the chase thinking Jadeja will field it. By the time Jadeja realised it's his ball to take, he had already over run. Smiles all over.

FOUR! A wide full-toss from Bumrah and it is duly put away by Nabi. All he had to was open the face of the bat as the ball had enough pace on it

AFG are 109/5 after 17 overs | Nabi (22*), Janat (23*)

Bumrah finishes with figures of 1-25 in 4 overs

SIX! THAT'S A SUPERB PICK-UP SHOT! Leg-stump half-volley from Shardul Thakur and Janat helps the ball on its way and onto the grass banks over long leg.

10 OFF THE OVER

AFG are 98/5 after 16 overs | Nabi (18*), Janat (23*)

Jasprit Bumrah brought back into the attack

AFG are 88/5 after 15 overs | Nabi (17*), Janat (10*)

They need 123 from 30 balls

2/14 in 4 overs. What a stellar comeback to T20Is for Ashwin

10 off Jadeja's 3rd over

AFG are 80/5 after 13 overs | Nabi (11*), Janat (7*)

IS THAT A CATCH? No but that would have been a spectacular catch from Rohit had that carried to him at cover. Oh, hang on! The umpires are getting it checked. The soft-signal is not out. Nabi made room and looked to go inside out. He absolutely creamed the ball and Rohit got down on time. He wasn't confident at first. After seeing the slow-mo replay for a number of times, the third umpire gives it not-out. THAT WAS CLOSE!

OUT! THIS IS OUT AND THERE ARE NO DOUBTS ABOUT IT. Najib's reverse sweep costs him his wicket as Ashwin disturbs his timber.

Karim Janat is the new man in. 

AFG are 70/5 after 12 overs | Nabi (7*), Janat (1*)

5 off Sharduk Thakur's first over.

AFG are 66-4 after 11 overs | Najib (11*), Nabi (4*)

150 runs from 60 balls

OUT! As plumb as they get. R Ashwin joins the party, dismissed Gulbadin Naib. Misses the sweep and he doesn't even review it as given out LBW

AFG are 59/4 after 9.3 overs

Mohammad Nabi is the new batter in.

AFG are 61-4 after 10 overs | Najib (9*), Nabi (1*)

7 off Jadeja's second over.

AFG are 58-3 after 9 overs | Gulbadin (18*), Najib (8*)

After 4 years, R Ashwin is bowling in a T20I.

AFG are 51-3 after 8 overs | Gulbadin (18*), Najib (1*)

OUT! Ravindra Jadeja gets Gurbaz on 19 as India break the dangerous partnership. Floated delivery from Jadeja, Gurbaz charges down the tracks and hits his high in the air. Hardik Pandya runs to his right from long-on and takes a brilliant catch near the boundary line. The ball was in the air for a long time.

AFG are 48/3 after 7 overs 

Najibullah Zadran walks in to bat next

FOUR! A loosener first up from Hardik. Strays down leg and Gulbadin clips it away for 4 behind square.

FOUR! Another half-volley on the pads from Pandya and Gulbadin Naib once again, whips it behind square for 4.

AFG are 47/2 after 6 overs | Gurbaz (19*), Gulbadin (15*)

FOUR! Thich outside edge and raced past a diving Bumrah at short third-man for 4. Gulbadin scores his first boundary.

SIX! That's a classy shot from Gurbaz. Rank half-volley from Shami. Gurbaz takes one step to his right, clears the front leg and tonks the ball over long-on for 6.

SIX! This time, he swivel pulls the ball over deep mid-wicket for 6. This is fabulous batting. 

FOUR! 21 off the over. Short and wide from Shami, he overcompensates for it. Gurbaz, ever so gracefully, slashes the ball through cover-point for 4. 

AFG are 38/2 after 5 overs | Gurbaz (19*), Gulbadin (6*)

OUT! A slower ball from Bumrah, very-well disguised, Zazai is outfoxed and he ends up chipping it in the air. Shardul Thakur at mid-on pouches the ball easily.

A surprise here; Gulbadin Naib walks in next

OUCH! A 140 kph bouncer from Bumrah, Gurbaz ducks and is struck on the helmet. He is all smiles but the concussion test will be carried out.

And Gurbaz clears the test

AFG are 17/2 after 4 overs | Gurbaz (3*), Gulbadin (1*)