India vs Afghanistan Match Highlights & Results

Right then. That is all we have from this game. On Thursday, 04th November 2021, we have two more games lined up for you. The first game sees the clash between Australia and Bangladesh at 2 pm local (10 am GMT), which will be followed by the battle between Sri Lanka and West Indies at 6 pm local (2 pm GMT). Do join us for all the action. Cheers!

Virat Kohli, the Indian captain says that the wicket was much better this time around and they spoke in the previous matches as well that they will try to have a couple of good overs at the top. Adds that they can play well but sometimes they do get under pressure when the opposition is bowling well. Mentions that T20 cricket is a very instinctive game and you have got to go with your gut. Adds that the top three are pretty much set and their power hitters can come in and play like they did today and also mentions that sometimes there are decisions to be made on the go. Mentions that in the previous two matches, the opposition did bowl really well and they would like to play like they did today. About the NRR, Kohli says that it was in the back of their minds and they will look to better it in every match if there is any chance of qualifying. Mentions that the best part of the day was the return of Ashwin, who he thought bowled exceptionally well and has been doing the same in the Indian T20 League and in the nets, so he's pretty pleased with Ashwin's performance today.

Mohammad Nabi, the skipper of Afghanistan says that they were looking to bat second because of the dew and feels that there was not enough dew and feels that India batted really well on this deck. Adds that they try to rotate the strike in the middle overs and feels that they didn't do that well in this game. Hopes that they do well in their last game.

ROHIT SHARMA IS THE PLAYER OF THE MATCH! He says that the idea was to get off to a good start which hadn't happened in the previous two matches and applauds KL Rahul for his effort. Mentions that their partnership was a good one. Adds that he was a bit surprised when Afghanistan elected to bowl because they were prepared to bowl first themselves. Adds that they went in to bat keeping the NRR in mind and it was important to get a big total on board. Mentions that this is the way he wants to play and it was important for him to get in and play good cricketing shots.

The Indian bowling was on point. Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah started off well. The spinners did a really good job in the middle overs. Especially Ravichandran Ashwin who had a very good return back into the team, as he finished with figures with 4-0-14-2. Overall, it was a performance from India that we are used to seeing them give. First their batters, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma helped them set up a huge score, and then their bowlers did a great job to give them a big win.

Something above 200 was never going to be easy to chase and Afghanistan got off to the worst start possible as they lost both their openers quickly. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib did strike a few meaty blows but whenever the momentum seemed like shifting, Afghanistan lost a wicket. There were a few who got off to starts but none could make it significant. Mohammad Nabi played well in his stay out there, but, in the end, they fell well short of the desired total.

SIX! A maximum to end proceedings from Karim Janat but it's India who pick up the win! Pandya bowls a slower one, this is short and wide as well. Janat slaps it over the point fence for a biggie and finishes on 42. INDIA WIN BY 66 RUNS!

Banged into the pitch, around off. Ashraf makes a good connection on the pull shot, which goes on the bounce to the man at the cow corner fence. Just a single.

India finally open their account in this year’s World Cup and it is just the kind of win they needed to keep their hopes alive of going through. An emphatic performance from them when needed as they have smashed Afghanistan by 66 runs.

Back of a length, Janat pulls it towards deep mid-wicket for another single.

Shorter one, around off and Ashraf pulls this one behind square on thye leg side for a single.

Janat moves across the leg stump and Pandya follows him. Thakur bowls a length ball and cramps Janat for room, who manges to get it away on the leg side for a single.

FOUR! Pandya does not start the last over well. On top of off, Janat makes a bit of room for himself and slashes it into the point fence for a consolation boundary.

Shami gets the yorker in, around off stump. Ashraf jams it out on the off side.

Full and straight, driven down to long off for a single.

In the slot again and Janat thumps it back over the bowler's head for a couple.

OUT! CAUGHT! Well, Rashid Khan just had to go for the big shots and he ends up getting out for a golden duck. Mohammed Shami looks for the yorker, but delivers it in the slot. Rashid Khan clears his front leg and clubs it flat towards the long on fence. Hardik Pandya is stationed over there and takes a comfortable catch. Mohammed Shami gets his third.

NOT OUT! Ravindra Jadeja almost managed to pull off one of the catches of the year. A length ball, on off and this time Karim Janat looks to go big. Janat ends up completely mistiming it. The ball is skied up towards the mid-wicket region and Ravindra Jadeja sprints in from the fence at full speed and puts in the dive at full stretch. He does manage to pouch the ball but while landing the ball pops out a little and hits the ground, as per the replays seen by the TV umpire. This will be not out and a single is taken as well.

Sharafuddin Ashraf is in!

OUT! TAKEN! After a long struggle and a fighting knock, Mohammad Nabi departs. Shami bowls a slower ball, around off stump. Mohammad Nabi winds up for the big shot and launches this one a mile up in the air, towards the cow corner fence. This one doesn't have the distance and Ravindra Jadeja takes a simple catch, well inside the ropes.

Has Ravindra Jadeja taken a stunner? It does look like it, but the umpires want to make sure. Their soft signal is out. The TV umpire feels that the ball has hit the ground and hence, he overturns the on-field decision.

WIDE! Shami will have to reload. This is dragged down, way outside the off stump. Wided.

Rashid Khan is the new batter in.

Another full toss, outside off, pumped through extra cover for a couple of runs.

Full toss, around off, pushed to long off for one.

Slower, shorter, way outside off, Mohammad Nabi waits for it and then slaps this over point. Collects a couple of runs.

FOUR! Nabi is on the charge now! A touch shorter this time, around off, Mohammad Nabi whacks this one hard to the deep mid-wicket region and bags a boundary.

SIX! A slower ball this time, around off, Mohammad Nabi waits for it and then thumps this one over the long off region for a biggie. Ishan Kishan is just a spectator this time as the ball sails over him!

That was nearly a wonderful catch by Ishan Kishan (sub)! Excellent effort. On a fuller length, around off, Karim Janat chips this one towards the long off region, where Kishan sprints ahead, gets low, dives forward, but the ball falls short. One run.

An action replay of the previous delivery! Outside off on a fuller length, Nabi reaches out but fails to connect bat with ball now.

Gets it right this time, does Bumrah! Fuller, outside off, slower too, Nabi fails to dig this out and misses.

WIDE. This one was close. Fuller again, way outside off, but looked to be inside the tramline, Nabi looks to dig it out but misses. The umpire calls this as a wide.

WIDE. Fuller again, outside the tramline on the off side this time, Nabi reaches out, but misses.

Fuller around off, driven to covers.

FOUR! This is put away by the Afghanistan skipper! A pacy full toss this time, width offered too outside off, Mohammad Nabi opens up the face of the blade and slices this behind point. Boundary.

Played to sweeper cover this time for one.

FOUR! It is in the gap and a boundary results! A well directed short ball, around off, Karim Janat camps back and powers this one in between Virat Kohli at long on and Ravindra Jadeja at deep mid-wicket. Jadeja runs to his left, overruns actually, and that results in the ball going past the ropes. 100 up for Afghanistan!

A full toss, outside off, slapped to sweeper cover for one. 113 more needed from the last 4 overs!

A slower bouncer, around off, Nabi judges it well and taps this towards deep mid-wicket. Takes one, wants another, but Virat Kohli steams in, collects the ball, and throws it to the keeper, ensuring that this is only a single.

Slower in pace, on a length on the pads, Nabi misses his flick, and the ball takes the pad and finds Pant, who dives to his left and stops the ball.

On middle, this is stroked down to the long on region for one.

SIX! WOW! That has been smashed! On a length, around off and middle, Karim Janat whips this one delightfully over the fine leg fence for a massive hit!

On a length around off, worked towards deep mid-wicket for one.

Fullish ball, on middle and driven through mid on for just another single.

Bumrah brings out the slower wide yorker now, Nabi can't reach it. Yet another dot.

Good-length ball, on the hips. Janat whips it to deep backward square leg for a single.

What a ripper! Bumrah peppers Janat with a spicy bouncer and Janat does well to duck under it.

NOT OUT! Back of a length again, around off. Mohammad Nabi goes on the back foot and taps it towards point for a quick single. Ravindra Jadeja, as he almost always does, hits the stumps at the bowler's end. The third umpire is called in and Mohammad Nabi was caught napping a bit but he's safe.

Back of a length, on off. Nabi hops and dabs it down towards point.

Fuller delivery, on middle and this is pushed down to long on for a run. Ravichandran Ashwin ends a fantastic spell with figures of 4-0-14-2!

Ravindra Jadeja hits the stumps at the non-striker's end and the TV umpire will have a look at this. Mohammad Nabi is comfortably in.

On middle and flicked straight to short mid-wicket.

Slowed up, on leg stump and this one turns away from the right-hander. Janat works it through mid-wicket for a single.

On middle, Nabi makes room and drives it through covers for yet another single. Afghanistan need a lot of boundaries which they are finding almost impossible to find.

Ashwin holds this one back a touch and bowls it around leg stump. Janat works it towards short mid-wicket, where the fielder makes a half-stop and they do get the single.

Tossed up delivery, on middle. Nabi drives it through mid on for a single.

Slightly dragged down, outside off. Nabi cuts it off the back foot to deep point for one.

On middle and eased down the ground for a run.

FOUR! Cheeky but effective from Karim Janat. Flatter one, on off. Janat just goes down on one knee and paddles it off the stumps really fine. The ball ends up in the fine leg fence. A rare boundary for Afghanistan.

Angled in on middle and leg, Nabi nudges it towards mid on for another one.

Full and wide outside off, Nabi strokes it through the cover-point region and races back for the second.

On a length, on off and slightly turning away. Janat hangs back and wrists it towards mid-wicket for a single.

Flighted ball, outside off. Janat drives it down to long off for a single.

OUT! BOWLED! Ravichandran Ashwin is turning back the clock right now! Najibullah Zadran pre-meditates the reverse sweep and Ravichandran Ashwin reads it. Ashwin fires it in, full and straight. Zadran doesn't manage to make a connection as the ball is just too full and sneaks beneath his willow. The ball crashes into middle stump and Afghanistan are going down quickly here.

This is spilled down the leg side. Nabi looks to sweep it away but gets a top edge to the right of short fine leg and they get a single.

Karim Janat arrives.

NOT OUT! Just short! Tossed up, around leg stump. Mohammad Nabi makes room and looks to go inside out but can't get any elevation on it. The ball goes uppishly towards Rohit Sharma at extra cover, who does pouch it. This is one of those catches that no one is sure about and hence the umpires rightly went upstairs. After taking a long look at it, the third umpire is satisfied and stays with the on-field decision of not out.

Slightly shorter and on the pads. Mohammad Nabi goes on the back foot and nudges it gently towards square leg. The batters come back for an easy second.

Is that a clean catch? The umpires do not think so as their soft signal is not out. Even Rohit Sharma is not too excited. It looks like the ball has bounced, before going into Rohit's hands. Will be not out.

A slider, on middle and leg. Nabi looks to flick but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Outside off, slapped through covers for a single. 145 more needed in 54 balls!

Good-length ball outside off, Mohammad Nabi looks to push this to the off side but misses.

Slower this time, around off, Zadran taps this to point for a run.

Another run as this is steered through short third man.

Shortish again, around off, pulled through mid-wicket for a run.

Shardul Thakur starts off with a shortish ball outside off, this is slapped through cover-point for a single.

Shardul Thakur is brought into the attack now.

Floats this one up, outside off, pushed to the cover region.

WIDE. Down the leg side, Zadran looks to flick but misses. Wided.

Around off, pushed back to the bowler.

Fuller around off, the skipper pushes this through mid on for a run to open his account.

DRINKS! The Indian pace duet, Shami and Bumrah sent Afghanistan openers packing early on but Naib and Gurbaz did fight back for a bit. After Gurbaz fell, the sting was taken off the run chase and now after Naib also going back to the pavilion, Afghanistan will need a miracle to pull off this run chase. 152 runs are still required off 63 balls. The skipper, Mohammad Nabi walks in with his team in all sorts of trouble.

OUT! LBW! Ravichandran Ashwin strikes and Gulbadin Naib has been sent packing. Naib has a chat with his partner but they decide that this one was plumb and hence, do not go for the review. The fourth one falls and Afghanistan are not able to stitch meaningful stands. Ravichandran Ashwin floats this one up, lands it fuller around off, angling down, Gulbadin Naib gets low and looks to sweep but misses and gets hit on the pad. An appeal and the finger goes up in no time. 152 needed in 63 balls!

Quicker this time, on the pads, Naib awkwardly works this to the leg side.

Ash drags it short, around off, Najibullah Zadran nudges this to deep square leg and rotates the strike.

Quicker, flatter, around off, Naib skips down and tucks, but finds the man at mid-wicket. 153 more needed in 66 balls!

Another push back by Naib towards Jadeja. Another dot.

Short this time, on off, pushed back to Jadeja.

Quicker delivery, on the pads, worked through square leg for one.

SIX! Powerful shot by Zadran! In the arc this time, around off, Najibullah Zadran stands tall, swings his arms at this and tonks this one over deep mid-wicket.

Flatter, around off, Najibullah Zadran looks to reverse-hit this but mistimes it to the fielder at covers.

This is worked with the angle through mid-wicket for a single. A good start by Ash, just 2 off it!

Tossed up again, around off, Zadran does well to get his bat down and dab it down to the off side.

Floated, around off, kept out by Zadran.

Around off, Zadran looks to cut but gets an inside edge, back onto the pad.

Slower through the air, on the pads, nudged through square leg for one.

Ravichandran Ashwin comes in to roll his arm now.

Tossed up, around off, kept out by Naib.

A single to end then! Tossed up on off, Naib strokes it down to long off for one. End of a wicket-taking over by Jadeja.

OUT! That is a sensational catch by Pandya! Wow! It had gone so high and he also had to keep an eye on the ropes but has made it look so easy! On middle, Gurbaz looks to drag it over the leg side, gets a top edge. It goes between deep mid-wicket and long on. Hardik Pandya in the latter position, runs to his right and takes a superb catch. Gurbaz was looking good till the time he was out there but fails to get most of the start he got.