CWC 2023, Match 9, India Vs Afghanistan Played at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, India on 11 October 2023
Afghanistan 272/8 (Hashmatullah Shahidi 80, Azmatullah Omarzai 62, Ibrahim Zadran 22, Ramanullah Gurbaz 21, Jasprit Bumrah 4/39, Hardik Pandya 2/43)
India 273/2 in 35 Overs (Rohit Sharma 131, Virat Kohli 55*, Ishan Kishan 47, Shreyas Iyer 25*, Rashid Khan 2/57)
India won by 8 Wickets with 90 Balls to spare. 
Player of the match: Rohit Sharma 131 in 84 balls 

Top ICC ODI ranked and the host of CWC 2023 formidable India continued its cruise along the purple path with yet another commanding victory against Afghanistan in their second match at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi. 

Batting first after winning the toss Afghans did not do all that bat posting 272/8 in their allotted overs on easy paced wicket. Indian captain Rohit Sharma with a punishing 131 in only 84 balls and King Kohli scoring impressive 55 in 56 deliveries led India cruising over the target with 90 overs to spare. Ishan Kishan also scored run a ball 47. Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 25. India looks well prepared for the blockbuster encounter against traditional rivals Pakistan on 14 October 2023 at Iconic Narendra Modi Stadium. 

Indian won two in two. They beat Australia in their first match played at Chennai by 6 wickets. Afghanistan lost two in two having lost their first match played at Dharamshala Stadium in Himachal Pradesh also by 6 wickets. Afghanistan will meet England in their next match at New Delhi on 15 October. 

Afghanistan won the toss and rightly elected to bat. Ramanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran played some impressive strokes against Mohammad Seraj, but they struggled against very penetrative high-quality bowling of Indian x-factor Bumrah. Ibrahim fell to a superb delivery of Bumrah scoring 22. Gurbaz was soon undone by Pandya for 21. Afghans innings appeared to have lost the way when Ramat Shah also fell cheaply adjudged LBW to Shardul Thakur. From there on captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (80) and Azmatullah Omarzai (62) batting exceedingly well resurrected the innings putting together 121 impressive runs in the 4th wicket partnership. However once that partnership was broken by impressive Pandya Afghan middle and late order could not handle irresistible Bumrah. Still 272 /8 was not that bad score against a very potent Indian attack firing in all cylinders. Bumrah took 4/39 and Hardik took 2/43. Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Seraj, and Kuldeep Yadav all looked impressive.

India made their target chase a cake walk as rollicking Rohit made the day his own. Appearing in his belligerent mood he spanked Afghan bowling all over the park. His 131 scored of only 84 balls contained as many as 16 fours and 5 sixes. In the absence of Shubman Gill still recovering from dengue Ishan Kishan partnering Rohit scored ran a ball 47. The opening partnership produced 156 in only 18.4 Overs. King Kohli coming at number 3 scored another unbeaten 55 in 56 balls. His unbroken 3rd wicket partnership with Shreyas Iyer added 68 impressive runs.  India won big by 8 wickets scoring 273/2 in 35 overs. With all ends covered India looks invincible. Afghans must improve a lot for their first and a few wins in the tournament. India will now head towards Ahmedabad for the much-awaited derby against Pakistan scheduled for 14 October. It is great that CWC 2023 has already developed intensity before that blockbuster match which billions across the world will witness with rapt attention. 

Points Table as on October 12, 2023
 

The positions will change as the tournament progress .4 top teams will advance to the knock out at the end of 9th round . 

BDST: 0938 HRS, OCT 12, 2023
SMS