India has kept its semi-final hopes alive at the T20 World Cup after beating Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi by 66 runs.
India put on board 210 for 2, which is their second-highest in World Cups, thanks to the rollicking start openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma provided and the finishing touches from Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya's broad blades. In reply, Afghanistan managed 144/7 to suffer their second defeat in the tournament.
Sent into bat, Rahul and Rohit belted superb half centuries to help India get off to a quick start by stitching a 14 runs partnership for first wicket. Rahul scored 69 runs off 48 balls while Rohit hammered 74 runs in 47 deliveries.
The unconquered Rishabh Pant (27) and Hardik Pandya (35) gave finishing touches by smacking the Afghanistan bowlers to help India race past the 200-run mark.
Both openers executed great shots and managed to hit boundaries and sixes at will to give the team a flying start, which was lacking in the previous two games.
Rohit was back to his rhythmic best as he reached his 23rd T20 International fifty after he slapped the ball off Naveen-ul-Haq for four.
Then, Rahul got to his fifty off just 35 balls, launching Gulbadin Naib's slower ball outside off for a four. His fifty was quicker than Rohit, though he made a slower start.
They also celebrated the historic moments when both Rohit and Rahul became only the fourth pair with four or more century partnerships in men's T20 Internationals. Rahul joined the party, hitting his 13th T20 International fifty with a glorious boundary.
Rohit ended up hitting Karim Janat straight to Nabi at extra-cover, flat and at around waist height. Rahul followed him soon as he was beaten by the slower yorker off Gulbadin trying to scoop, and clung to the bails.
The Afghan bowling performance left much to be desired, in particular the puzzling decision from Captain Mohammad Nabi to bowl just the solitary over.
For the first time, Rashid Khan could manage only dot off his first two overs. On an average, six balls out of the first two overs Rashid bowls in a T20 international are dots. This was Rashid's fourth-worst analysis in all T20 internationals. (Inputs from UNI)
