India vs Afghanistan T20 World Cup 2021 Highlights: Openers, Bowlers Guide India To 66-Run Win Over Afghanistan
T20 World Cup 2021 Highlights, IND vs AFG: Pacer Mohammed Shami claimed three wickets while Ravichandran Ashwin took two as India registered a comfortable 66-run win against Afghanistan in the Super 12 stage in the ongoing T20 WC 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium In Abu Dhabi.
- Aakash Arya
- Updated:November 03, 2021 11:31 PM IST

Pacer Mohammed Shami finished with a fine three-wicket haul while spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed two wickets on his return to the T20 side as India registered a comfortable 66-run victory and got their campaign going against Afghanistan in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium In Abu Dhabi. Chasing a mammoth 211 runs for victory, Afghanistan stumbled from the start and failed to stitch together important partnerships. The Indian bowlers, including pacer Jasprit Bumrah and spinner Ravindra Jadeja, bowled tight lines and lengths to restrict the batting side to 144/7 in 20 overs. Batting first, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma scored incredible half-centuries to help India get off to a good start with an opening partnership of 140 runs. Rahul was dismissed after scoring 69 runs off 48 balls while Rohit departed for 74 runs in just 47 deliveries. Rishabh Pant (27*) and Hardik Pandya (35*) gave the finishing touches to help the team cross the 200-run mark.
This is India's second highest team total in the history of the tournament. Both openers played great shots and managed to hit boundaries and sixes at will to give the team a flying start, something that India failed to achieve in their matches against Pakistan and New Zealand. They brought up a century partnership in the 12th over. India vs Afghanistan is a crucial match for Virat Kohli's team as India need to win the match by a huge margin to keep their semi-final hopes alive. Earlier, Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi won the toss and decided to bowl. During the toss, Virat Kohli revealed that Varun Chakravarthy was suffering a niggle and therefore was replaced by Ravichandran Ashwin. Suryakumar Yadav was also declared fit and replaced Ishan Kishan. (SCORECARD)
T20 World Cup 2021 India vs Afghanistan Highlights From Sheikh Zayed Stadium In Abu Dhabi
- 23:16 (IST)AFG End At 144/7 In 20 Overs !India win by 66 runs !Indian bowlers, led by Mohammed Shami and R Ashwin, displayed incredible discipline to help the team restrict Afghanistan to 144 runsShami claimed three while Ashwin took two to jolt AFG's run-chaseThe win helps India register their first win in there Super 12 stage of the T20 WC
India are off the mark #T20WorldCup | #INDvAFG | https://t.co/ZJL2KKL30i pic.twitter.com/llszZPMNtH
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 3, 2021 - 23:05 (IST)Wicket !Rashid departs for a first ball duck to ShamiAFG 127/7 after 18.3 overs
- 23:01 (IST)Wicket !Shami gets Nabi for 35 runsAFG 126/6 after 18.1 overs
- 22:57 (IST)Six + Four !Nabi dispatches Thakur for 10 runs in 2 balls in the 18th overAFG 120/5 after 17.3 overs
- 22:52 (IST)Two Fours !Bumrah gets hit for two fours in the first three balls of the 17th overAFG 107/5 after 16.3 overs
- 22:45 (IST)Six !Janat hits Shardul for a huge sixAFG 116 more runs to win off 28 balls
- 22:44 (IST)India On Course !AFG need 123 runs off 30 balls to win
- 22:36 (IST)Indian On Top !AFG are 80/5 after 13 oversIndia will look to register a huge win here to settle the run-rate
- 22:31 (IST)Wicket !Ashwin strikes again, gets Najibullah for 11 runs off 13 ballsAFG 69/5 after 11.5 overs
- 22:21 (IST)Midway In AFG Run-Chase !Afghanistan have stumbled after showing glimpses of positive intentIndia are clearly on top hereAFG 61/4 after 10 overs
- 22:17 (IST)Wicket !Ashwin strikes as Naib departs for 18 runs off 20 ballsAFG 59/4 after 9.3 overs
- 22:13 (IST)Six !Najibullah hits Jadeja for a much-needed sixAFG 57/3 after 8.2 overs
- 22:08 (IST)Wicket !Hardik takes a good catch as Gurbaz departs against Jadeja for 19 runsAFG 48/3 after 6.5 overs
- 22:04 (IST)Powerplay Ends !Afghanistan have comeback well after losing openers earlyAFG 47/2 after 6 overs
- 22:03 (IST)Four !Pandya concedes yet another four in his first overAFG 46/2 after 5.4 overs
- 22:01 (IST)Four !Hardik is welcomed with a boundary by GulbadinAFG 42/2 after 5.2 overs
- 21:59 (IST)Four !Rahmanullah Gurbaz ends the Shami over with a four21 runs off the fifth overAFG 38/2 after 5 overs
- 21:58 (IST)Twin Sixes !Rahmanullah Gurbaz hits Shami for a six againAFG 34/2 after 4.5 overs
- 21:58 (IST)Six !Rahmanullah Gurbaz hits Shami for a huge sixAFG 28/2 after 4.4 overs
- 21:55 (IST)Four !Gulbadin hits Shami for a much-needed sixAFG 21/2 after 4.2 overs
- 21:54 (IST)India On Top !India are cruising in their defence of the 211-run targetBoth openers have been dismissed with not many runs on the boardAFG 17/2 after 4 overs
- 21:48 (IST)Wicket !Bumrah strikes now, Zazai departsAFG 13/2 after 3.1 overs
- 21:45 (IST)Wicket !Shahzad departs for a duck as Shami strikesAFG 13/1 after 3 overs
- 21:41 (IST)Bumrah On Target !Bumrah concedes seven off his first overAFG 12/0 after 2 overs
- 21:37 (IST)Six !Zazai hits Bumrah for a superb six on the leg sideA flat six indeed !AFG 11/0 after 1.2 overs
- 21:36 (IST)Shami Starts Well !Shami gives away only 5 runs in the first overAFG 5/0 after 1 over
- 21:33 (IST)Four !Zazai hits Shami for a boundary to get goingAFG 4/0 after 0.2 overs
- 21:32 (IST)AFG Run-Chase Begins !Openers Hazratullah Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad are in the middlePacer Mohammed Shami starts proceedingsAFG 0/0 after 0.1 overs
- 21:27 (IST)India End At 210/2 After 20 Overs !Afghanistan Need 211 Runs To Win !Indian batting finally lived up to its reputation as they scored 210 runs for 2 wickets in their 20 oversKL Rahul, Rohit Sharma scored incredible half-centuries to help India get off to a good startRishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya gave the finishing touches to help the team cross the 200-run markAfghanistan batters will need something special to overhaul the huge target
India post a score of 210/2
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 3, 2021
Which batter impressed you the most?#T20WorldCup | #INDvAFG | https://t.co/ZJL2KKL30i pic.twitter.com/zhV1LQAmb2 - 21:17 (IST)Four + Six !Pant hits a boundary and then a six to bring the 200 for IndiaIND 204/2 after 19.2 overs
- 21:14 (IST)Six !Hardik hits Naveen straight down the ground for a huge sixIND 192/2 after 18.5 overs
- 21:12 (IST)Six !Hardik hits Naveen for a big sixIND 184/2 after 18.2 overs
- 21:08 (IST)Twin Fours !Hardik hits Hamid for two straight fours to get going as India are eying a strong finish hereIND 175/2 after 18 overs
- 21:02 (IST)Twin Sixes !Pant ends the 17th over with two back-to-back sixes off GulbadinIND 160/2 after 17 overs
- 21:00 (IST)Wicket !KL Rahul finally departs to Gulbadin for 69 runs off 48 ballsIND 147/2 after 16.3 overs
- 20:50 (IST)Surprise Surprise !Rishabh Pant has come in after the fall of the 1st wicketSkipper Virat Kohli has moved down the order yet againIND 142/1 after 15 overs
- 20:49 (IST)Wicket !Rohit falls to Karim Janat for 74 runs off 47 ballsIND 140/1 after 14.4 overs
- 20:48 (IST)Four !Rahul starts the 15th over with a boundaryIND 139/0 after 14.1 overs
- 20:45 (IST)Twin Sixes !Rohit ends Rashid's over with another six through a sweep shotIND 135/0 after 14 overs
- 20:44 (IST)Six !Rohit gets beaten in the flight but still manages to deposit the ball in the crowd for a sixIND 129/0 after 13.5 overs