4.6 overs (0 Run)
Another slower delivery, bowled well into the pitch and over middle and leg. Rishabh Pant gets cramped for room and ends up just blocking it back on the deck.
4.5 overs (1 Run)
Bowled back of a length and at the body, Virat Kohli tucks it off the back foot and in front of square leg for a run to follow-up the big hit.
4.4 overs (6 Runs)
SIX! ‘Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground.’ Another pace-off delivery, bowled into the pitch and around off stump, Virat Kohli holds his shape and closes the face of the bat a bit before lifting it straight back over the bowler’s head for a biggie.
4.3 overs (0 Run)
Back of a length and a bit wide of the off stump, Virat Kohli hangs back and punches it away straight to the man at covers.
4.2 overs (0 Run)
Takes pace off and bowls it back of a length around off, Virat Kohli steps out again looking to drive but the ball doesn’t quite come on and Kohli eases it towards cover.
4.1 overs (2 Runs)
Starts off on the shorter length and bowls it around off, Virat Kohli decides to use his feet and comes forward before reaching out and slapping it away in front of deep point for a single.
3.6 overs (1 Run)
On the shorter side and around off, Virat Kohli goes across and on the back foot before working it away in front of square leg for one.
3.5 overs (2 Runs)
In the air but lands safely! Tossed up a bit around middle stump, Virat Kohli gets down on one knee and plays a lofted sweep shot off the top edge and gets it over the backward square leg region for a couple of more runs.
3.4 overs (0 Run)
Extra bounce! Quicker and shorter, angled in from around middle, Virat Kohli backs away to cut but is beaten by the additional bounce.
3.3 overs (2 Runs)
A bit shorter and at the stumps, Virat Kohli uses his wrists and swats the ball away to the right of mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
3.2 overs (3 Runs)
Nicely stroked away! Flighted delivery outside off stump, Rishabh Pant leans right on and plays it a bit late to pierce the gap at covers. The fielder chases it down and puts the slide across to pull the ball back in, three runs for Pant there.
3.1 overs (1 Run)
A bit more round-arm and flatter around off, Virat Kohli goes back and across before working it away in front of mid-wicket for a single.
Mohammad Nabi to continue here.
2.6 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Easy pickings and Rishabh Pant is up and running! A half-volley angling onto the pads, Pant just flicks it away behind square leg and the ball races away into the fence. Still, a good over from Fazalhaq Farooqi and Afghanistan have made a fine start.
2.6 overs (1 Run)
WIDE! Full and trying to attack the pads but this is spilled well down the leg side for a wide.
Rishabh Pant walks out to bat at number 3.
2.5 overs (0 Run)
OUT! CAUGHT! The change of pace has worked and Rohit Sharma has thrown his wicket away. Fazalhaq Farooqi knows that Rohit is itching to get a big hit away and pitches the ball up within the lines of the stumps but smartly takes pace off the ball as well. Rohit crouches a bit and goes hard at it but only manages to lift it a mile high and towards mid on. His opposite number, Rashid Khan settles under it and takes a fine catch. Yet another dismissal for Rohit against the left-armed pacer and that’s the 8th time now he has got out to a left-armer inside the Powerplay in T20Is.
2.4 overs (1 Run)
Tap and run! Back of a length and angling across the right-hander, it comes slower off the deck and Virat Kohli hangs back before angling it away to deep point for a run.
2.3 overs (0 Run)
On a hard length outside off and angling away, Virat Kohli stands upright and punches it sweetly but straight to the man at covers.
2.3 overs (1 Run)
WIDE! On the fuller length but pushed well wide of the off stump, left alone for a wide.
2.2 overs (1 Run)
Bowls this one back of a length and angles it away from the right-hander, Rohit Sharma presses back and just pushes it in front of point for a single.
2.1 overs (0 Run)
Early drama! Fazalhaq Farooqi pitches the ball around leg stump and tries to shape it back in, Rohit Sharma gets down on one knee and looks to whack it across the line but misses and gets hit on the back leg. A big shout for LBW but the umpire remains unmoved. A wild slog from Rohit Sharma and he missed it completely and Afghanistan have taken the review. The big question is whether it pitched in line or not. No bat on UltraEdge and Ball Tracking shows that the ball is just pitching outside leg. The original decision of NOT OUT stands.
1.6 overs (0 Run)
Bowled flatter and at the stumps, just holding in the deck a bit, Virat Kohli goes back in his crease and plays it back to the bowler.
1.5 overs (1 Run)
On a length and sliding onto the pads, Rohit Sharma tucks it away around the corner and rotates the strike.
1.4 overs (0 Run)
Bowled on the shorter side and angled into the batter, Rohit Sharma tries to back away and go over the infield but mistimes the shot to mid off.
1.3 overs (1 Run)
Comes from over the stumps now and drifts it into the legs, Virat Kohli looks to flick off the front foot but misses. The ball rolls off the pads behind square leg and they get a leg bye.
1.2 overs (1 Run)
Bowled flatter and on middle and leg, Rohit Sharma gets inside the line and sweeps it hard through backward square leg for a single.
1.1 overs (0 Run)
Starts from around the stumps and fires it into the blockhole around middle, Rohit Sharma clears the front leg but can’t get under it and hits it straight to mid on. Afghanistan receive their first warning for not starting the over in time.
Afghanistan going with spin early on as Mohammad Nabi is ready to share the attack now.
0.6 over (1 Run)
Nice and full, angling it across the off stump, Rohit Sharma reaches out to drive but miscues it towards mid-wicket for a single. 5 off the first over!
0.5 over (4 Runs)
FOUR! Sloppy from the fielder but Rohit Sharma and India are underway. Lovely length, around the top of off and just seaming back in late. Rohit Sharma tentatively pushes at it and squirts the ball off the outside edge and to the right of short third where Hazratullah Zazai dives over the ball and lets it through for a boundary.
0.4 over (0 Run)
Four dots on the trot, tidy thus far from Fazalhaq Farooqi. Nagging length on off stump, not quite full and Rohit Sharma clears the front leg to heave it across the line but the ball beats the inside edge.
0.3 over (0 Run)
Pitched up right on the stumps this time, Rohit Sharma gets on the front foot again and just gently pushes the ball back to the bowler.
0.2 over (0 Run)
Goes full and wide outside the off stump, looking for the big indipper and it doesn’t quite come out. Rohit Sharma reaches for it but the ball sneaks under the bat and just inside the tramline.
0.1 over (0 Run)
On the money! Begins from over the stumps and serves it on a good length, trying to shape it back in from around the off stump. Rohit Sharma gets on the front foot and pushes it solidly towards extra cover.
Done with the pre-match formalities! We can see the Afghanistan spread out and take their respective field positions. India are sticking with the same opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Interestingly, both have scored exactly 4042 T20I runs each at the moment. The leading wicket-taker in the World Cup so far, Fazalhaq Farooqi has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let’s play…
We are moments away from the start of this big clash but before that, the players from both sides make their way out to the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be India’s first followed by the national anthem of Afghanistan.
PITCH REPORT – Ian Smith is pitchside. He says that the weather conditions are great and there is a nice breeze going towards the ocean. Adds that the square boundaries are 67m and 58m while the straight hit is 70m. Sunil Gavaskar joins him and points out that there are a few cracks on the surface that could help the wrist spinners. Ends by saying that it is still a good pitch for batting as the ball will come onto the bat nicely.
Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan says that they would have batted first as well but it doesn’t matter much in T20 and it is all about the mindset. Adds that he is quite happy with how they have prepared and how the batters have gone about their business in 3 out of the 4 games and now it is all about controlling emotions and playing their natural game. Mentions that being here in West Indies from the start will help a bit and informs that Hazratullah Zazai comes in for Karim Janat.
The Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma says that they will bat first. He adds that it looks like a good track, flat and not much grass on it. He expects it to slow down later in the game. Mentions that it looks definitely better than New York but it was important to get the results there. Says that they had a good training session and will look to adapt well. Further adds, that it is different playing in the West Indies as in any other country, they start in the evening but here it is an early start and they enjoy playing here. Informs they have made one change as Kuldeep Yadav comes in for Mohammed Siraj.
India (Playing XI) – Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav (In for Mohammed Siraj), Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
Afghanistan (Playing XI) – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Hazratullah Zazai (In for Karim Janat), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
TOSS – The coin is flipped by Rashid Khan but it lands in favor of India. Rohit Sharma opts to BAT first.
India on the other hand played their last game more than a week ago as their final fixture against Canada was washed out but they had won all three games by then. The top order has certainly looked shaky and a lot of focus will be on Virat Kohli and whether or not he can turn this disastrous rut around. One big positive for them is that Suryakumar Yadav has an excellent record against Rashid Khan and India have an unblemished record against Afghanistan at the senior level. Given that India like to play the same XI more often than not, whether or not we will see an extra spinner in the side remains a big question mark. Can India bolster their claim as one of the favorites to win the tournament with another win? Or will we finally see the upcoming Asian side, Afghanistan take down the Asian Powerhouse? We shall find out in a few hours’ time. Toss and team news in a bit, stay tuned.
Afghanistan come into the contest having won 3 out of their 4 games in the initial group stage and all three of those wins were pretty convincing, especially the one against the Kiwis. However, they were humbled by West Indies in their final group game and will look to shrug it off quickly as they have played some fantastic cricket in the tournament. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Fazalhaq Farooqi are amongst the leading run-getters and wicket-takers, respectively, and will be key to their success. Skipper, Rashid Khan will also be looking to weave his magic and lead his side to a memorable win.
Hello and a warm welcome to Bridgetown in Barbados where Afghanistan will take on India at the Kensington Oval. This is the first fixture in Group 1 of the Super Eight stage of the competition with the likes of South Africa and England getting a win each in the other group. Given that the top 8 teams of the competition are playing each other, no game can be taken lightly and both sides will be itching to put a win on board and take the early lead.
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