India has finally opened its account in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, defeating Afghanistan by 66 runs in its Super 12 clash. Meanwhile, quite some records have been scripted.
It was a fine comeback from former champion India. On Wednesday, it outplayed Afghanistan by 66 runs in its Group 2 Super 12 clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. With this win, India gained its first win and points in the tournament this season. Meanwhile, some records were also scripted.
FULL SCORECARD: ICC T20 World Cup 2021, India vs Afghanistan (Super 12)
Ravichandran Ashwin ends an unwanted streak
Ashwin was playing a T20I after 65 matches in the format for the side. It is the second-longest wait between two T20Is for an Indian after Sanju Samson, who had waited for 73 games.
India posts numerous highs
- 53/0 is the highest Powerplay total by India in the competition this year.
- It is the fifth joint highest in the Super 12 stage this season, with the highest being 66/0 for England against Australia.
- 210/2 is the highest score by India in the tournament this term.
- It is the second-highest event total to date for India, with the top-most being 2018 against England in 2008.
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Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul rule as openers
- Rohit and Rahul contributed to a 140-run opening partnership. It was the joint-second most in the format along with New Zealand's Martin Guptill - Kane Williamson and Rohit- Shikhar Dhawan, all having produced four each. At the same time, Pakistan's Babar Azam-Mohammad Rizwan leads with five.
- It was also the highest stand for any wicket for India in the tournament to date.
- Rohit and Rahul become only the second Indian pair after Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag to score respective 50s in a T20WC match.
- Rohit scored the joint third-most half-centuries in the competition to date, along with Mahela Jayawardene, while Virat Kohli leads the chart with ten.
- Rohit has won the joint third-most Man of the Match awards in the format (11), along with Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez, after Virat Kohli (12) and Mohammad Nabi (12).
Afghanistan scripts some lowests
- Afghanistan could manage 47/2 in the PP of this game against India. As a result, it was its lowest in the phase of the tournament this year. Its highest happens to be 551/1 against Scotland.
- Also, it scored 14/2 between 7-10 overs of this game, while it happens to be its lowest in the phase of the competition this season.