Indian openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul lit up the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, as India posted their second-highest total in T20 World Cups. After winning the toss, Afghanistan captain Mohammad Nabi invited the Indian cricket team to bat, citing the dew factor. However, this decision did not bode well for Nabi and Co.
Coming out to bat, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul started slow. However, after a couple of overs, the floodgates opened. Firstly, India, at 53/0, registered their highest powerplay in the 2021 T20 World Cup. This score also meant that they recorded the fifth-highest powerplay score in the Super 12 stage in the ongoing tournament.
Also, a strong statement to the critics was made.
However, the Afghanistan bowlers did manage to halt the flow of runs after the onslaught they suffered in the powerplay. After scoring 52/0 in the first five overs, they scored 39/0 in the next six overs.
By the 12th over, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul completed their century partnership in the match. This was also the 12th-century partnership involving Rohit in T20Is – joint-most alongside Babar Azam.
Most century partnerships in T20 Internationals
5 Babar – Rizwan
4 Rohit – Dhawan
4 Guptill – Williamson
4 Rohit – Rahul
As Rohit scored his first half-century of the tournament, he broke a long drought spell. This was the first 50+ score in T20 World Cups for Rohit Sharma in 11 innings. His last was 56 vs Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2014.
Both the Indian batters didn’t even pay their due respect to ace Afghan spinner Rashid Khan, taking him to the cleaners. He finished with figures of 36/0 in his four overs. This was the most expensive spell he has bowled in T20 WC 2021.
By the time Rashid finished bowling his quota of overs, Rohit Sharma had taken the long back to the pavilion. He finished with a score of 74 off 47 balls.
Soon after his dismissal, his partner KL Rahul was dismissed for 69 off 48 balls.
Now, India had two new batters in the middle. Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya.
They took a couple of overs to settle but after that, they did what they do best – hit the ball out of the park and score runs easily.
During their stay in the middle, they strung a 63-run partnership off mere 23 balls to push India’s score beyond the 200-run mark.
In the partnership, Pant contributed 24 off 8 balls and Hardik contributed 35 off 13 balls.
India not only scored their highest in the 2021 T20 World Cup but also their highest in all T20 World Cups. This is also the second-highest total against Afghanistan in T20Is after 225/7 by Ireland at the same venue in 2013.
Highest totals in T20 World Cup 2021
210/2* Ind v Afg, Abu Dhabi
190/4 Afg v Sco, Sharjah
189/2 Pak v Nam, Abu Dhabi
181/7 Ban v PNG, Al Amerat
Highest totals for India in T20 World Cups
218/4 v Eng, Durban 2007
210/2 v Afg, Abu Dhabi 2021*
192/2 v WI, Mumbai 2016
188/5 v Aus, Durban 2007
186/5 v SA, Gros Islet 2010
