Dhaka – India managed to score 224 for eight wickets in 50 overs in their fifth game of the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup against Afghanistan at The Rose Bowl, Southampton on Saturday.
The former two times world champions failed to post a big total due to the impressive Afghan bowling attack.
Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first. While talking to the broadcaster, he said the wicket is very good to score a big total. But India failed to prove the decision.
Rohit Sharma was the first man to get dismissed. The 18-year-old spinner, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, scalped him for just a single in 10 deliveries.
Rohit went to defend the ball, but the delivery shattered his off stump. Rohit missed it completely.
However, in the second wicket stand, Virat and Lokesh Rahul, who is opening for India in the absence of injured Shikhar Dhawa, added 57 runs in an attempt to recover the initial damage.
Mohammad Nabi, the former captain of Afghanistan, took the second wicket removing Lokesh for 30 off 53 deliveries.
After him, Rahmat Shah bagged the wicket of Vijay Shankar for 29. India were in deep trouble at that point of time, and they never really recovered from that.
Virat was firm at the other end of the wicket. But he fell for 67, which was India’s highest score in the innings.
Nabi delivered a regulation off-break ball. The Indian captain tried to cut it away but managed an upper edge to the point area. Rahmat dived forward to grab the catch.
India lost some quick wickets after a 57-run stand by MS Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav. Dhoni was removed by Rashid Khan. The premium spinner of Afghanistan trapped him delivering a ball outside off which turned further away.
Dhoni came forward and tried to drive away but failed to connect the ball and subsequently lost his wicket for 28 off 52.
The partnership of Jadhav and Hardik Pandya was the last hope of India to put up a big total but they added only 35 runs in the stand.
Eventually, India were wrapped in for a moderate total of 224 runs for eight wickets in 50 overs.
For Afghanistan, every bowler took at least one wicket while captain Gulbadin Naib and Nabi bagged two wickets each.UNB
