Cricket News By TODAYLIVESCORE.INFO - Live Cricket Score - India vs Afghanistan, 33rd Match, Super 12, T20 WC. Can India turn their fortunes around?
Can India turn their fortunes around?
India win by 66 runs!
Some lusty hitting towards the end has reduced Afghanistan's deficit to 66, but has given India a positive NRR now. It could have been more if not for some late boundaries in the innings. But it means India have done most of what they could have done in this game to be in the hunt, even if barely.
Afghanistan kept in check
Both Nabi and Karim Janat have not shown much intention to go after the bowling and have been kept in check. Afghanistan though hang in to reduce the deficit. The NRR could still play a part in this group and both teams seem to be aware of that.
WICKET: Second for Ashwin
Najib tries a reverse sweep but Ashwin is accurate and full, he beats him to hit the stumps from round the wicket. Afghanistan 69/5 now.
WICKET: Naib falls to Ashwin
The flicker from Ashwin does the job. Naib misses a big sweep and is caught plumb in front. First T20I wicket for Ashwin since 2016!
WICKET: Jadeja gets Rahmanullah
He goes for another big hit, but the mishit is taken just inside the rope by Hardik Pandya at deep midwicket. A wicket for Jadeja in his first over, soon after the powerplay.
A run glut for Afghanistan
The first four overs saw Afghanistan score just 17 for 2. The last four of the powerplay though has seen Naib and Rhamanullah blaze away, getting 30 more. One Shami over cost 21 of those runs.
WICKETS: Afghanistan's openers fall in quick succession
Shahzad falls for a duck after being hurried by Shami's pace and gets a leading edge. Zazai tries to swat one off his pads but gets a top edge and Bumrah bags a wicket as well. Afghanistan 13/2 in the chase now.
Deepu Narayanan @deeputalks If #India can restrict #Afghanistan to 99 or below, India can sneak their NRR past that of both Afghanistan & #NewZealand with games against #Scotland & #Namibia in hand. #INDvAFG #T20WorldCup 03:52 PM • Nov 11, 2021
INDIA FINISH WITH 210
Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant provide the perfect finishing touch as India get 68 in the last five overs. That has been quite a statement from a clearly hurting India. They've shown what they can do with their batting might when the conditions are slightly better. Can they repeat such dominance with the ball too?
WICKET: KL Rahul falls for 69
He tries to paddle one from Naib and is bowled. India still looking for a strong finish in the death overs.
WICKET: 140-run opening stand ends
Rohit was trying to attack every ball coming at him, and it finally ends with him hitting one straight to cover. He ends with 74 off 47 balls.
Fifty for KL as well
He gets to the milestone off 35 balls. India are on the march currently, can they sustain this?
The CricViz Analyst @cricvizanalyst This is only the second time India have posted a 100+ run opening partnership in a T20 WC. The previous occasion was when Gambhir and Sehwag put on 136 against England in 2007. #T20WorldCup 03:04 PM • Nov 11, 2021
Fifty for Rohit!
It comes off 37 balls, and he gets a boundary to get to the milestone. The boundaries have dried up since the powerplay but this will be a welcome one in more than one way.
India 85/0 after 10
Both batters look settled now and are into the 40s, it's a perfect platform to accelerate from. Can they do it?
Powerplay: India 53/0
Michael Vaughan @MichaelVaughan So much better from #India .. 02:21 PM • Nov 11, 2021
A different approach already
KL Rahul has already hit a six and a four. India's opener, dictated by the situation, are finally playing with more aggression.
Case in point: “India have hit four boundaries in the first two overs of spin tonight – they hit three in the 16 overs of spin in the first two games,” pings our Stats Editor Deepu Narayanan.
Harsha Bhogle @bhogleharsha The coins are now all Kohli-proof! He's lost the toss in 13 out of his last 14 games! 02:00 PM • Nov 11, 2021
TOSS: Afghanistan opt to bowl
R Ashwin will be playing his first white ball game for India since 2017! Suryakumar Yadav also returns for India.
Teams:
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad(w), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Hamid Hassan
India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
The lead up…
Can India turn their fortunes around? Will it still be enough? Can Afghanistan cash in against a jaded opposition?
Welcome as we look forward to all those answers and more in a crucial encounter in Group 2. If you want to brush up on the qualification scenarios before the game, head here.
Stay tuned for the toss and team updates coming up shortly…
