Mohammed Shami claimed a hat-trick to secure victory as India pipped Afghanistan by 11 runs in a thrilling low-scoring group match in the Cricket World Cup on Saturday.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, India struggled on a slow pitch and crawled to 224 for eight with Virat Kohli (67) and Kedar Jadhav (52) managing half-centuries against a disciplined Afghan attack.
Skipper Gulbadin Naib (two for 51) and spinner Mohammad Nabi (two for 33) shared four wickets between them as India posted their lowest total of the tournament.
Afghanistan's batsmen, however, could not complement the effort of their bowlers and were all out for 213 to fall to their sixth defeat in six matches.
Nabi top-scored for them with 52 before Shami claimed the last three wickets with successive deliveries in the final over to seal India's fourth victory of the tournament.
49.5 OVER Afghanistan 213 all out (Ikram 7*)
India win by 11 runs having been spooked by Afghanistan's bold challenge. But they persevered and their two gun bowlers Shami and Bumrah bowled beautifully. Nos 10 and 11 had no chance, needing boundaries they had to have a slog at the balls and they kind of made a gift of a hat-trick. Mohammed Shami still had to hit the stumps, though. which he did with laser-like precision.
OVER 49: AFG 209/7 (Nabi 48* Alikhil 7*)
Bumrah begins with a yorker that Nabi digs out but cannot score from. The second ball is a low full toss and driven but not off the middle. They run two and he calls for a new bat. 'The finisher'. Ten balls to go. Nineteen needed. Nabi digs out the inevitable yorker to mid-on for a single. Ikram cannot beat the infield off Bumrah's low full toss. Midwicket cuts it off. He steers the penultimate ball for a single through point. One to go. A yorker and he taps it to square leg.
Afghanistan need 16 to win and 15 to tie off six. Ball by ball? Oh, go on.
OVER 48: AFG 204/7 (Nabi 44* Alikhil 6*)
Nabi tried to step across to target midwicket and was struck on the knee roll as he played around it. It was hitting middle but with a review left, Afghanistan had to use it at this stage and it reprieved him because it pitched outside off-stump. Nabi works one to midwicket, Ikram misses the slow ball and wears the next on his gloves. The ball drops to his feet and he wants to run but is sent back by Nabi. Shami has two to bowl. He uses the bouncer to register a dot. Ikram pulls hard at the last and toes it over midwicket and they run two.
Afghanistan need 21 off 12.
OVER 47: AFG 201/7 (Nabi 43* Alikhil 4*)
Ikram Alikhil takes on a homicidal single to point that would have left Nabi short by half the pitch if Pandya had hit the stumps. But he misses. Bumrah goes for the bouncer and Nabi absolutely nails it, bludgeoning a pull over midwicket, a long, long boundary by this World Cup standards, smoking it into the stands. Six! Bumrah responds with three successive yorkers, Nabi digs out two, lets one go, and can glean only a single.
Afghanistan need 24 off 18 balls.
OVER 46: AFG 193/7 (Nabi 35* Alikhil 3*)
Chahal is back for his 10th over. Nabi whips a single off his boots, Rashid reverse sweeps for four with a stunning reverse sweep but is then, as Colin Dexter once pit it, deceived by flight. Ikram Alikhil sweeps orthodox fashion for two and one to finish the leg-spinner's over and he ends with 10-0-36-2. Afghanistan need 32 off 24 balls.
Wicket!!
Rashid st Dhoni b Chahal 14 Diddled him with pace and flight after being hit for four. Rashid gropes for it when it dips alarmingly quickly and topples forward. Dhoni whips off the bails and India will feel, after a scare, that they;ve broken the back of Afghanistan's chances now. FOW 190/7
OVER 45: AFG 185/6 (Nabi 35* Rashid 10*)
Nabi begins Shami's eighth over with a lofted drive over mid-off for four, feasting on the length by stepping away to the onside to let him swing through the line. Nabi drives one to long-on and Rashid plays that absurd tennis stroke again, like a left-hander's double backhand smash. They run one as he cloths it short of mid-on and take another with a leg-bye. Rashid scythes a cut off the final ball, it bounces in front of Jadhav which foxes him. But he dive backwards with a great recovery save to stop the boundary and keep them down to two.
Afghanistan need 40 off 30.
OVER 44: AFG 176/6 (Nabi 30* Rashid 7*)
Rashid plays his tennis forehand stroke, stepping away to leg to clobber it with a flat bat down to the cover sweeper. He whips a single off his toes and Nabi works one wide of midwicket.
WICKET!
Big moment! An inside edge flies to Chahal at short mid wicket. That may well be the end of Afghanistan's resistance.
You can watch #TeamIndia vs #AfghanAtalan live on Sky Sports Cricket World Cup or follow here: skysports.tv/uXnXZV
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Afghanistan need 49 off 36 balls.
OVER 41: AFG 165/5 (Nabi 26* Najibullah 21*)
Swiss timing from impressive Najibullah, who eases a leg glance in front of square with a velvety touch for four. He ducks the bouncer which is called wide and flicks at one arrowed across him but does not connect and it, too, is called wide. Najibullah plays a pull with his right leg raised for a single in a very productive over. Nabi square drives for a single and Najibullah almost perishes to the slower ball bouncer which he is on to soon and pops up a metre short of midwicket. Eight off what turned out to be an eight-ball over.
Nail-bitingly enjoyable. Some supporters will be watching it through a mask of fingers, I'm sure. But for the rest of us, the tension, while palpable, only enhances the enjoyment.
OVER 40: AFG 157/5 (Nabi 25* Najibullah 16*)
Pandya has two overs left and will bowl the first of them before the final Powerplay. Nabi check drives for a single to long-off and Najibullah punches a pair of twos through cover. Najibullah has made a difference by running hard, turning singles into twos on three occasions so far. He plays a slapping cut off the final ball, short outside off, and they take the easy single on offer.
OVER 39: AFG 152/5 (Nabi 24* Najibullah 11*)
Nabi tucks a single off his hip and, after Najibullah cuts to point, the left-hander chips a sweetly-timed drive over mid-off, who is up in the circle, for four. Shami is not best pleased so bounces him but it climbs too high and Aleem Dar strikes his Angel of the North pose. After the wide, Najibullah flicks a single off his hip and his partner straight drives another to make it nine off the over.
Thank you Team Afghanistan for giving the best fight yet to Team India in this world cup. You are a winner no matter whatever result we get#CWC19 #INDvAFG #bbccricket
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OVER 38: AFG 143/5 (Nabi 22* Najibullah 6*)
Kuldeep has one more to bowl. Nabi walks towards him and taps a single down to long-on. They run one. After missing out on the reverse sweep by tickling into his pad, Najibullah strokes a drive to long-off for e and Nabi ends the over with a tip and run to cover.
OVER 37: AFG 140/5 (Nabi 20* Najibullah 5*)
Mohammed Shami who opened with four fine overs of poise, pace and precision, is brought back. Nabi drives a single to cover and Najibullah hustles a second after a controlled pull to square leg. When they get home he breaks into a winning smile. Three off the over.
Afghanistan need 85 off 78 balls.
OVER 36: AFG 137/5 (Nabi 19* Najibullah 3*)
Kuldeep returns and Nabi scuffs two off his pads fine and single with a better-timed leg-glance. Najibullah gets off the mark with a dainty reverse sweep for two and plays the orthodox one for another. Two more singles make it seven off the over and the batsmen earn their fist bump.
OVER 35: AFG 130/5 (Nabi 15* Najibullah 0*)
Nabi takes the target under 100 by paddling the first ball of Chahal's over for four. He punches one off the back foot through mid-off after two dot balls. He has the patience but the veteran Asghar Afghan does not. Where's Sir Rodney Ffing, the Black Fingernail when you need him? Carry on ... don't lose your head.
Afghanistan need 95 off 90.
OVER 33: AFG 121/4 (Afghan 6* Nabi 8*)
Kohli turns back to spin, calling Chahal back into the front line. Afghan targets cow corner but doesn't middle it and drags it off the bottom quarter of the bat for a single. Nabi defends a couple, Chahal tosses one up but strays too wide and the right-hander chastises a square cut for four with headmasterly grimness.
OVER 32: AFG 116/4 (Afghan 5* Nabi 4*)
Pandya begins with a wide followed by a couple of slower balls that earn him dots in the scorebook. Afghan gets away with a cut in front of square and Nabi gets off the mark with a controlled pull for two. Well played. But having played sensibly he has a slog at the next, he loses his grip and the ball is sliced over point. Hardik has the peace sign tattooed on his neck but pacificism would disown him as he sends a rocket to the two fielders, point and the cover sweeper play 'After you, Claud' and the skyer comes to earth between them.
OVER 31: AFG 110/4 (Afghan 4* Nabi 0*)
Asghar tickles fine round the corner and runs two. He defends stoutly off the back foot, swings and misses at a cut shot, is tucked up by a bouncer he was going to pull before aborting the stroke ad chisels out a yorker. He ends the over rolling his wrists on a pull for a single. That was Bumrah's seventh over. Will Kohli hazard another from his gun bowler? I think he should. Afghanistan require 115 off 114 balls.
OVER 29: AFG 106/4 (Afghan 0* Nabi 0*)
Vociferous India appeal for leg-before when Rahmat is struck on the back leg. The ball did seem to arrowed across the batsman and Aleem Dar turns it down. They have no reviews left and it would have been umpires' call anyway. No matter, Rahmat holes out two balls later. And one, as Geoffrey Boycott says, brings two.
Wicket!!
Hashmat c&b Bumrah 21 Bumrah bomaye! Two in three for the No1 ranked white-ball bowler. A bouncer speared into the left-hander's ribs causes panic as he tries to turn it round the corner but pops it off the splice back up the pitch and Bumrah takes it off his bootlaces, 5m from the batsman. FOW 106/4
OVER 27: AFG 104/2 (Rahmat 36* Hashmatullah 19*)
No slipper for Bumrah and Rahmat exploits it by running one down to third man off an open face. Hashmat raises the hundred with a check (square) drive for one. Sanjay Manjrekar is chief lobbyist for the Institute of Bouncer Affairs and is as relentless and shameless as his oppo Manjay Sanjrekar at the Bouncer Bowlers' Alliance in his advocacy of them. No chin symphony yet and Rahmat steers two fine of point and short-arm pulls two more.
OVER 26: AFG 98/2 (Rahmat 31* Hashmatullah 18*)
Rahmat greets a length ball on the back foot and clobbers it over wide mid-on for four. Midwicket and long-om ran towards each other to try to cut it off but it bisected them perfectly. Wrist spin is not built for this pitch and they milk a further three singles. Bumrah is coming back.
OVER 25: AFG 91/2 (Rahmat 25* Hashmatullah 17*)
Hashmatullah cuts hard off Chahal but gets nowt off it as point makes a diving stop. It was a sighter for the next one, as he nails the stroke, scything it fine for a single. MS Dhoni whips the bails off when the left-hander props forward and is beaten by the googly's bounce and turn but his foot was reassuringly planted on terra firma and home. It hit him on the pad as he groped forward but it would have gone over even if India had retained a review to use.
OVER 22: AFG 83/2 (Rahmat 24* Hashmatullah 10*)
A drag-down from Kuldeep is pulled witheringly over midwicket for four by Hashmatullah. Clever, patinet batting by these two and they exchange singles to keep revolving between left and right hand. Sanjay Manjrekar says Kuldeep is bowling too slowly and the ball is coming on nicely, meaning they can read him off the pitch. He counsels bombarding them like Archer and Wood did, telling Pandya to keep banging it in and bringing back Bumrah and Shami for short bursts.
OVER 21: AFG 76/2 (Rahmat 23* Hashmatullah 4*)
Excellent from Pandya, hitting 140 kph consistently and using the short ball to intimidate and cramp them. But the last ball of the over is in the slot and Rahmat came down the track, possibly pre-planned, and crunched it through the covers for four. Lovely shot.
OVER 20: AFG 71/2 (Rahmat 19* Hashmatullah 3*)
Rahmat whips a single through square leg off Kuldeep, Hashmat drives one to cover. They can get these in singles. That should be their focus for the next 10 overs. Rahmat takes a step away from leg and drives through long-off for one and his partner completes the over by lapping a single.
OVER 19: AFG 67/2 (Rahmat 17* Hashmatullah 1*)
Pandya has a slip and six other men in the circle to smother the left-handed Hashmat. Gun fielding supports Pandya's tight off-stump line with five dot balls as he holds back the bouncer. Will he test him with it now, the final ball. He puts two men out on the hook and removes the slip. Bluff or double bluff? It is short and arrowed into his body, striking Hashamatullah on the thumb and then the ribs. On comes the physio with the magic sponge.
OVER 16: AFG 61/1 (Gulbadin 26* Rahmat 13*)
Dhoni demolishes the stumps when Rahmat is beaten by the googly but the foot was grounded when the bails were whipped off. He gets away from the strike with a drive to long-off, the perfect release shot. Kuldeep ends the over before drinks with a slider that whistles past edge, stumps and everything inbetween. Small wonder he yelps. Four singles off the over.
OVER 14: AFG 56/1 (Gulbadin 23* Rahmat 11*)
Kuldeep replaces the costly Pandya. He bowls chinamen and googlies from over the wicket and is notoriously difficult to pick. No trouble for Gulbadin who pulls his stock ball that turns into the right-hander over midwicket for a single. But that's the only damage as Rahma cannot pierce the infield.
OVER 13: AFG 55/1 (Gulbadin 22* Rahmat 11*)
Michael 'Pup' Clarke says India have 40 overs to bowl Afghanistan out. If it takes any longer than that, Afghanistan should win given they bat deep. Hence no point bowling the weak link of the attack Pandya just yet. Chahal almost entices Rahmat to nick off to slip as he tried a dab down to third man but didn't read it as a flipper. It lands just short.
OVER 10: AFG 37/1 (Gulbadin 10* Rahmat 5*)
Double change with Hardik Pandya coming on to bowl some cross-seamers, cutters and slower balls. Rahmat steers one down to third man by opening his right wrist, and Gulbadin ducks under a loopy bouncer that soars over him and the keeper for five wides. Two more off the bat, whipping it off the toes down to fine leg. Kohli would have run three there but few are so fleet of foot.
Wicket!!
Hasratullah b Shami 4 Daft so and so. he's been trying to swipe several balls off off- and middle through midwicket. Can't be done against bowlers of Shami's and Bumrah's quality. He misses, they hit, and Shami castles him while the batsman was swinging hard for le coin des vaches. Shabby shot. FOW 20/1
OVER 6: AFG 18/0 (Hasratullah 8* Gulbadin 4*)
Gulbadin misses out on a full toss, tapping it tamely to mid-on, but plays the next with moe adventure, whipping Bumrah off his hip past square leg. Very high-pitched encouragement dished out by one of the cordon. Extraordinary scenes when Gulbadin ducks the bouncer, realises he can't get under it and flaps his bat at it, sending a very difficult chance back up the pitch. Bumrah changes direction and dives to his right but cannot get there, by a matter of centimetres. That idea of Gulbadin bedding in for the long haul? Scratch that. He just had an ugly swipe at the last ball, aiming for the sea, and it was past him before he was through his downswing.
OVER 5: AFG 16/0 (Hasratullah 8* Gulbadin 2*)
Another tight over from the impressive Shami. Hasrat, who tries to hit as much as he ca through midwicket, cuffs a single there, Gulbadin sprints a couple of leg byes when he doesn't get bat on an attempted glance and Hasratullah pokes a drive to mid-off for one.
OVER 4: AFG 12/0 (Hasratullah 7* Gulbadin 1*)
Gulbadin, who may feel a duty to drop anchor, punches a single off the back foot wide of mid-off to get off the mark. Hasratullah chases a wide one and has an ugly hoick across the line he will wish to erase from his memory as I will, too. The left-hander pushes forward, stuck in his crease with concrete boots, and thick edges wide of Kohli diving miles to his left at second slip for four. Would have been a dolly for fourth slip and Kohli almost made it. Spings in his boots? Hasratullah taps a single to cover and Bumrah ends the over tearing one away from Gulbadin's edge as he played the backward defensive deep in his crease.
Aleem Dar officiating a game between India and Afghanistan awaits an amazing geopolitical punchline
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OVER 3: AFG 6/0 (Hasratullah 2* Gulbadin 0*)
A snorter from Shami that tails away from Hasratullah who was up on his toes to defend then jags back in to Dhoni who has to swoop low and to his right to stop it. Maiden and drama with the leg-before which would have hit the top of middle. Terrific over from Shami.
OVER 2: AFG 6/0 (Hasratullah 2* Gulbadin 0*)
Bumrah manages to get the ball seaming back in to the left-hander and snaking between bat and thigh. The ball dips alarmingly and scuttles under Dhoni and shoots down for four byes. Bumrah responds with the yorker and Hasrat manages to clear his front leg to chisel it out and through his own legs for a single. Gulbadin defends the final two balls of the over with a full face.
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OVER 1: AFG 1/0 (Hasratullah 1* Gulbadin 0*)
Mohammed Shami, making his 2019 World Cup debut, has two slips for the left-handed Hasratullah. Won't see how slow and sticky this flypaper pitch remains until we see the spinners. Shami sears one outside Hasratullah's edge then fizzes one into the body. It bounces up and takes the leading edge. Shammi makes 10m in his followthrough to try to grab it but it falls short. Hasratullah waits unril the last ball to get off the mar. with a controlled cut down to third man. This pitch is torpid, treacley and has odd loopy bounce. Even though they need only 4.5 an over, it is going to be a real test.
Afghanistan require 225 to win
Afghanistan will begin their reply at 2.30. Superb from Afghanistan using a helpfully slow pitch to choke India with spin and slower balls, eroding their patience and encouraging mistakes. Dhoni's tempo will be criticised now that Rishabh Pant is here. They could bring him in anyway, for Shankar. Can Afghanistan win this? If they bat as sensibly and unspectacularly as they did against England in a dignified response to the Morgan annihilation, they can. Aren't 'nippers' the best type of matches?
OVER 50: IND 224/8 (Bumrah 1* Kuldeep 1*)
Jadhav smashes a full toss towards wide long-on. Rashid runs around dives and reaches it with the tips of the fingers of his right hand but cannot cling on. He hurts himself in the process but saves two. Fifty for Jadhav. And then Gulbadin strikes twice and ends India's innings about 40 short but it still should be enough.
OVER 49: IND 219/6 (Jadhav 49* Shami 1*)
The honours for the penultimate over goes to Aftab Alam for his trundlers' variations. And he tries everything - cutters, yorkers, cross-seam bouncers - and the latter earns him the wicket of the devastating Pandya. Shami comes in and pulls a single to deep backward square. Jadhav works the ball to midwicket for a single to take the strike for the last over. Mettlesome, clever over from Aftab who ends his spell with 7-1-54-1.
OVER 48: IND 213/5 (Jadhav 47* Pandya 4*)
Gulbadin returns and begins with a pair of slower balls that ruin Hardik's timing. He crashes the first against the non-striker's, tries to cart the next but swings and misses. He smacks two down the ground and flays a skelps a single off his thigh. Jadhav works two to midwicket and steals a second by sprinting hard. Gulbadin treats them to another slow off-cutter and Jadhav waits and waits before slapping it over cover for two.
OVER 46: IND 205/5 (Jadhav 43* Pandya 1*)
Aftab Alan returns and trims the trmlines to record a dot outside off. Jadhav flicks four off middle and leg Aftab fights back with a yorker and a slower ball. Two more scoreless deliveries then Jadhav swings through the line and brings up the 200 with a flattish six. He had to overreach it and lost his bottom-hand grip but still nailed it. The fielder, Rashid ,was late round from long-off, but would not have reached it.
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OVER 45: IND 194/5 (Jadhav 32* Pandya 1*)
After Dhoni almost saws off his partner with some 'yes! wait! no!' nonsense, his innings is ended when he tries to force the rate up. He came down to the first ball, Rashid speared it into his legs and the ball rebounded into the leg-side. Rashid raced down and with Jadhav halfway and still facing Dhoni he tossed the ball to the non-striker'. Gulbadin, running in from mid-off o stand over the stumps slips before he can get there and the ball sails by the stumps. Jadhav has time to turn and make his ground. No matter as Dhoni falls two balls later.
Wicket!!
Dhoni st Akihil b Rashid 28 A constipated innings ends without relief. He comes down the track trying to accelerate, moving from first gear to fifth in a clutch-shattering move and is stranded when Rashid lowers his pace, the ball fizzes past the expanisve drive and he is stranded by 2m. FOW 192/5
OVER 44: IND 192/4 (Dhoni 28* Jadhav 31*)
Mujeeb will bowl out. Jadhav works one off his pads and Dhoni is kept quiet defending four dot balls in succession before whiping a single down to square leg. Two off the over and Mujeeb ends with he fine figures 10-0-26-1.
OVER 43: IND 190/4 (Dhoni 27* Jadhav 30*)
Aftab, the other opening bowler, is brought back. Jadhav whips two to backward square, earns a lucky four off a top-edged pull and is struck on the knee roll when he comes down the track and tries to improvise a walking flick. They shout for lbw but he was a long way down and they've already spuriously reviewed once and have none left. Jadhav works two to midwicket across the line and Dhoni launches the medium pacer over cover for four and is so pleased he strikes a pose. Costly over. They need to stick with spin.
OVER 40: IND 175/4 (Dhoni 22* Jadhav 21*)
Shot! Most batsmen move away from the hook and pull when they each the veteran stage but Dhoni, who didn't use it so much in his youthful majesty, employs it more and more. He swivels very quickly and absolutely clobbers some half-track Gulbadin filth for four. Jadhav had also given us his pull, tonking it finer for two and three more singles round off India's best over for an age.
OVER 39: IND 166/4 (Dhoni 16* Jadhav 18*)
Rashid continues and Dhoni waits for the flighted one to dip and drives it down to long-off. Jadhav, who uses the sweep as his release shot against spin because it can mask an inability to read the bowler, is almost undone by it, under-edging on to his pad in front of middle stump. Flicking it through midwicket is not as productive but relatively risk free and it brings him the single. Dhoni squeezes one through point, bullocks a single and makes his ground by five seconds when the direct hit demolishes the non-striker's stumps.
OVER 38: IND 163/4 (Dhoni 14* Jadhav 17*)
Dhoni, who has called for a helmet and new bat, waits for Gulbadin's opening effort, a slower ball. He waits and waits and thrashes it off the back foot through cover for four. MS flicks one off his 9ft distressed pads and strolls one to long leg, Jadhav tucks another one down there and Dhoni works one through midwicket.
OVER 37: IND 156/4 (Dhoni 8* Jadhav 16*)
Rashid Khan has five overs left and is brought back on. Four dot balls to Jadhav, varying his pace and trajectory, Jadhav breaks free with a punishing sweep in front of square for four, hammering it over midwicket. Rashid pitches the next one fuller, Jadhav thinks it's a googly but it holds its leg-stump line. He tries to tickle it fine but it pops off a leading edge and falls shy of square leg. Gulbadin is bringing himself back. Not sure they should abandon the spin attack when it's doing its job.
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OVER 36: IND 152/4 (Dhoni 8* Jadhav 12*)
Vociferous appeal for a caught behind off Mujeeb's last ball silences the crowd who cannot make any noise as hearts enter mouths. The umpire gives Dhoni not out, judging that he did not feather it as he tried to glance it fine. Afghanistan wasted their review so cannot ask for another look. One off the over - and the players will take a drink.
OVER 35: IND 151/4 (Dhoni 8* Jadhav 11*)
They're not troubling MS Dhoni's wicket but they are restricting him to comfortable singles. he takes two and Jadhav three. MCJ Nicholas on the commentary says 'It may not be exhilarating but it is interesting'. 'Interesting' and 'fascinating' are two of the most loaded words in sportswriting and broadcasting, usually intimating this is a match for the 'connoisseur', ie, only we clever people can truly appreciate it. But in this case, Afghanistan's bowling and India's approach is worth watching.
OVER 33: IND 143/4 (Dhoni 5* Jadhav 6*)
Afghanistan are the Lilliputians, India Gulliver and the spinners have bound them brilliantly so far. Kedar cuts Nabu for two, drives one to long-on. Dhoni taps a single to long-on and Kedar works one through midwicket.
OVER 32: IND 138/4 (Dhoni 4* Jadhav 2*)
Rahmat Shah manages to turn one square to Kedar Jadhav, the ball fizzing past the edge as he tried to drive off the back foot A single and a wide as MS weighs up the approach. Spin is Afghanistan;s strongest suit and I doubt India will need 300 to beat them here but they will want 270 plus to feel secure.
OVER 30: IND 133/3 (Kohli 66* Dhoni 3*)
Virat digs out the yorker and spears it through the infield to the cover sweeper, hustling a second. He shapes to drive a good length ball that turns and edges it down to third man for a single Dhoni taps one to long-on and Kohli scythes a cut down to the point boundary rider.
Dhoni's giant pads remain one of the wonders of the world.
OVER 29: IND 128/3 (Kohli 62* Dhoni 2*)
Three singles off Nabi's over. Kohli faces two balls and gleans runs from each, Dhoni is becalmed by three and takes a single to long-on from one.
Put the broom away:
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Wicket!!
Shankar lbw b Rahmat 29 That line about Rahmat not having the zip ... He lulls Shankar into misreading the length and sweeping and the ball straightens on a leg-stump line as it strikes him on the shin. Shankar reviews it but only an edge would save him, there wasn't one and Aleem Dar's decision is upheld, albeit umpire's call, which is, of course, enough. FOW 122/3
OVER 25: IND 115/2 (Kohli 53* Shankar 27*)
Vijay Shankar bends the right knee to cleave a lofted drive over extra for four. He cuffs a leg-stump leg break down to fine leg for a single and Kohli drills one to the cover sweeper. Rahmat doesn't have the required zip or nagging accuracy to smother them.
OVER 24: IND 109/2 (Kohli 52* Shankar 22*)
Shankar whips two off his pads and punches a square drive for a single. Kohli again targets long-on. Rashid won't mind that. He has a slip in so an on-drive should bring the edge to play for the leg-break ... if it wasn't for the fact that Kohli is emeritus professor of reading spin.
OVER 23: IND 105/2 (Kohli 51* Shankar 19*)
The best of Shankar, a scorching cover drive that Navbi chases down, claws back from the rope but knocks over for four with his body as it slid forward. Rahmat Shah has replaced Nabi so we have writs-spin at each end. Shankar takes two singles to long-on either side of Kohli tapping it down to the same fielder.
OVER 22: IND 98/2 (Kohli 50* Shankar 13*)
Virat skelps a drive down to long off and hares a second, then brings up his fifty with an on-drive to the boundary. That's his 52nd ODI half-century, the third in succession at the World Cup, and he also has 41 centuries. Ridiculous. Shankar whips a leg-break through midwicket for two, overbalances when attempting to cuff the bog googly that turned down legside. He managed to jam his foot back in the popping crease to avoid being stumped off a wide.
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OVER 20: IND 86/2 (Kohli 44* Shankar 8*)
Kohli takes on Rashid Khan from the first ball, hoping to exploit the trauma of Old Trafford. Terrific stroke, blistering cover drive for four. Rashid has a better time against Shankar who can't pick him but he undoes all the good work of his containment job and stifling him by wasting that review.
OVER 16: IND 71/2 (Kohli 34* Shankar 3*)
At least Rahul's demise has given Shankar a chance to show us he can fill this No4 slot as a batting all-rounder when we all had him pegged as a bowling all-rounder. Kohli pulls a single round the corner, Shankar presses a square drive to point for one and Kohli copies his partner.
OVER 15: IND 66/2 (Kohli 32* Shankar 1*)
Being tied down plays tricks with your mind and Rahul had only managed a single off the 10-balls he'd faced from Nabi. So he tried to improvise something unnecessary to a drivable ball and falls for his folly. The game has three elements - runs, wickets and, crucially, time. And time, time, time, is on our side, yes it is.
Wicket!!
Rahul c Hasratullah b Nabi 30 His strike rate of about 60 was obviously eroding his patience and he has looked twitch for a while. He premeditates the reverse-sweep and spoons it to short third man who takes it on his knees to provide stabilty at ankle-height. Nabi took the wicket but Rahul should be credited with an assist. FOW 64/2
OVER 13: IND 59/1 (Rahul 26* Kohli 30*)
Mohammad Nabi replaces Mujeeb and the off-spinner starts with commendable miserliness. His off-breaks turn soporifically and allow the batsmen to cuff them with the spin for a couple of singles and Kohli drives one more. His variation, the leg-break, is speared down the legside and the umpire signals wide. Could do with a short-leg against Rahul. But having suffered the shellacking at Old Trafford, Afghanistan are preoccupied with saving boundaries rather than taking wickets.
OVER 12: IND 55/1 (Rahul 24* Kohli 29*)
Gulbadin is drilled through the covers by Kohli for two and is dabbed to third man for a single. Rahul tragets third man again, using the width to glide it down there. Nothing in the pitch for the seamers, no bounce or pace and the swing in the previous over was a rare intruder that seems to have done one.
OVER 10: IND 41/1 (Rahul 20* Kohli 20*)
First change - Gulbadin brings himself on. So much noise and enthusiasm. Cheers and horns and drums. Kohli, for once, doesn't time his cover drive and has to settle for three, each of them run very hard. Rahul late cuts down to third man and Kohli treats us to another of his one-leg flicks through midwicket. Gulbadin foxes Rahul with a genuine outswinger. Blimey! A white Kookaburra just swung! Call the cops. Rahul plays and misses with the wooliest of wafts.
OVER 9: IND 36/1 (Rahul 19* Kohli 16*)
Mujeeb restores the squeeze, keeping Rahul tied up with drift that keeps him scoreless for four balls until he plays him off the back foot through midwicket for one and Kohli cuffs the drag-down through midwicket for one. Was that Mujeeb attempting a knuckle ball or a carrom? Think it was the latter.
OVER 8: IND 34/1 (Rahul 18* Kohli 15*)
Gorgeous from Kohli with that outside-in whip off off-stump through midwicket with those pinball wizard wrists. It earns him two and, after exchanging singles, four more as Aftab ducks it further into his pads. Kohli flicks it with a grooved smoothness to the long leg boundary. Out come the horns and a magnificent roar that sustains through the next stroke, a glorious square drive for four chastised through point by opening his right wrist through 90 degrees. He pulls the final ball hard, rolling both wrists on top of it to keep it down and the fielder saves two as they jog through for a second.
OVER 7: IND 20/1 (Rahul 17* Kohli 2*)
Another terrific over from Mujeeb - he entices a Chinese/French cut from Rahul, reminiscent of the 'Natmeg', sending the ball off the inside-edge through his own legs and down to square leg. He punches a single to mid-on, Kohli drills another to long-on and Rahul uses his feet to the last two, not getting to the pitch sufficiently to clobber either so he has to tap them into the infield. His beans are jumping but there's plenty of time yet. No need to force things off over No7.
OVER 6: IND 18/1 (Rahul 16* Kohli 1*)
Aftab loses his line for the first time and strays too far outside off-stump and Rahul is on to it in a flash, scything a square cut that blazes a trail to the point boundary for four. And then, having adjusted back to an off-stump attack, Aftab strikes the edge as Rahul props forward tentatively and the ball flies threw where first slip should have been for four. He does have a slip in but Gulbadin, weirdly, stationed him at second slip leaving a huge gap. He's out funked himself there. Cue some fist biting worthy of Herbert Lom's Chief Inspector Dreyfus of the Sûreté.
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OVER 5: IND 9/1 (Rahul 7* Kohli 1*)
What a fine start this has been by Afghanistan's opening bowling. Mujeeb knocks over Rohit, enticing him to play down Piccadilly and sending the ball down Bakerloo. Enter Virat Kohli who gets off the mark first ball with a flick off middle and leg to deep backward square. Rahul does the same to Mujeeb's slider and he cramps Kohli with his final two balls and the infield is stopping everything.
OVER 3: IND 7/0 (Rahul 6* Rohit 1*)
Close shave for Rahul as the ball, like yesterday, sticks in the pitch and ruins his timing. Aiming for a lofted drive he miscues it as it comes on late, toeing it just wide of mid-on's dive. Relieved, he scampers a single. Rohit looks in exemplary nick and middles all five deliveries he faces but is playing with restraint and concentration, not forcing anything, and cannot pierce the infield. Nice, tight start by Mujeeb.
OVER 2: IND 6/0 (Rahul 5* Rohit 1*)
Aftab Alam takes the other new ball, having replaced Dawlat Zadran in the side. Right-arm medium fast as opposed to fast-medium. His stock ball is about 78mph/ 126kph but he looks to have the infamously incalculable 'heavy ball', bowling a splice-jarring length that earns him four dot balls in the book. KL opens the face to drain two through point and whips a single off his pads to pinch the strike.
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OVER 1: IND 3/0 (Rahul 2* Rohit 1*)
Afghanistan give the new ball to the teenage spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, a specialist white-ball finger spinner who turns the ball both ways and often opens the bowling. He starts confidently. Rahul rocks on to his back foot to punch a single down the ground, Rohit cuts for a single behind point and KL sweetly drives to mid-off for another.
Good morning
India have won the toss and will bat at the Rose Bowl. They make one change, Mohammed Shami coming in for Buvi Kumar. Here are the XIs:
India KL Rahul, RG Sharma, V Kohli (capt), V Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), HH Pandya, KM Jadhav, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, YS Chahal, JJ Bumrah.
Afghanistan Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib (capt), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib has backed spinner Rashid Khan to hit back quickly after his battering at the hands of England.
Rashid was hit for a World Cup record 110 runs in nine overs as England powered to a 150-run victory at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
But his captain believes he has the fortitude to shake off that setback without delay.
"Rashid, I think he's one of the strongest players mentally now, and he learns everything very quickly." said Naib. "He also learns from mistakes.
"I saw him today and he's totally different. He didn't think about the last match, he's just focusing on the present and the future. So that's the best thing about Rashid."
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