India conquered challenging conditions and a dangerous Afghanistan side to begin their T20 World Cup Super 8 campaign with a comfortable 47-run win in Barbados on Thursday, June 20.
Gauging the strong winds at the Kensington Oval and understanding the boundary dimensions to perfection, India came up with a clinical display of T20 cricket, sending a big warning notice to the rest of the teams at this stage of the tournament.
India’s performance was a lesson in how to master challenging Caribbean conditions in Barbados, which will host the World Cup final nine days later. The performance would have given the former champions a lot of confidence after their wobbly but unscathed run on tough New York pitches in the group stage.
India extended their unbeaten record over Afghanistan, making it 8-0 after a dominant show in Barbados. India jumped to the top of the four-team Group 1 Super 8 points table, securing a healthy boost in Net Run Rate.
India posted 181 on the board, at least 15 runs above par on a pitch that was not entirely easy for free-flowing batters. With the ball, India were clinical as Rohit Sharma was at his absolute best, marshalling his troops well. Jasprit Bumrah was the star of the show as he picked three wickets, conceding just seven runs in his 4-over spell. India’s decision to play an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav worked in their favour. The trio of Kuldeep, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel picked 4 wickets between them.
Barring the first over in which Rahmanullah Gurbaz went after Arshdeep Singh, who was struggling to control his deliveries on a windy afternoon. Afghanistan needed to keep going in the powerplay and make the most of the fielding restrictions.
However, Jasprit Bumrah hurt their hopes big time, getting the wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 11. The leading run-getter of the tournament was outfoxed by a slower delivery bowled well wide of the off-stump as the ‘generational’ pacer asked Gurbaz to hit it to the longer side of the boundary against the wind. Gurbzaz managed to just get an edge to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who had a find day with the gloves.
India gave Ibrahim Zadran another life when Virat Kohli dropped him on 1, but it didn’t cost them much. In fact, that was one of the very few errors from the Men in Blue, who were clinical in Barbados on Thursday.
Rohit Sharma brought Axar Patel into the attack in the fourth over and the left-arm spinner delivered a maiden wicket over, removing Ibrahim for 8.
Bumrah was given another over in the powerplay and he got another wicket, removing the dangerous Hazratullah Zazai for 2. Bumrah’s miserly spell with the new ball meant Afghanistan managed just 35 for 3 in the sixth over, falling behind the asking rate early.
Afghanistan never got any momentum going as they kept losing regular wickets when the Indian spinners applied the choke in the middle overs, something that Afghanistan were not able to do. Kuldeep picked 2 wickets and Jadeja chipped in with a wicket as the spinners kept the flow of runs under check.
Arshdeep Singh then made sure he added to his tally by cleaning up the tail as Afghanistan were bowled out for 134 in their quota of 20 overs.
SURYAKUMAR YADAV’S SWEEPING MASTERCLASS
Captain Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli did not trouble the scorers much, but India once again flaunted the depth and class in their batting unit. Suryakumar Yadav walked the talk, diffusing the spin threat in the middle-overs. The World No. 1 T20I batter hit a 27-ball 53 on a pitch where most batters struggled for fluency.
Suryakumar Yadav notched up his second successive fifty in the T20 World Cup, showcasing that he has multiple gears to his game. After a run-a-ball fifty against the USA on a bowler-friendly New York pitch, Suryakumar took the attack to Rashid Khan-led Afghanistan bowling attack.
Afghanistan did well to dismiss Rohit Sharma early and Virat Kohli when the former captain was trying to get going. Rishaabh Pant played a crucial knock, hitting 20 off 11, ensuring India made the most of the powerplay.
However, India were in a spot of bother when Rashid Khan got the big wickets of Virat Kohli and Rashid in the middle, leaving the Asian giants at 62 for 3 in the 9th over. The stage was set for Rashid and Noor Ahmed to apply the choke, but Suryakumar and Hardik Pandya made sure India thwarted the threat and moved ahead.
Suryakumar employed the sweep shots to perfection as he frustrated Rashid and Noor and unsettled them. Suryakumar threw his wicket away after getting to his fifty, but Hardik ensured India finished strong with some lusty blows.
India will next face Bangladesh in Antigua on Saturday, June 22.