India vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: IND roar back as Pandya breaks big stand

In a thrilling encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, India took on Afghanistan in a crucial match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. The contest unfolded with breathtaking moments as Hardik Pandya’s fiery spell led India’s comeback, ending a formidable partnership between Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai.

The Afghan openers, displaying remarkable resilience, reached 32 runs without losing a wicket in the initial six overs. However, the tide shifted when Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Ibrahim Zadran, who contributed a valiant 22 runs from 28 balls. The breakthrough was followed by Afghanistan losing their grip on the match, with the Indian bowlers, including Shardul Thakur, making quick inroads.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah attempted to steady the ship with a 31-run partnership for the second wicket, but Hardik Pandya, in tandem with Shardul Thakur’s brilliant fielding, dismantled the Afghan batting lineup.

The pivotal moment of the match came when Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi partnered with Azmatullah Omarzai to construct an impressive 121-run stand. Despite a slow start, the pair steadily increased the run rate, unsettling the Indian bowlers during the second powerplay. The partnership finally met its end when Azmatullah Omarzai departed for a commendable 62 off 69 balls, courtesy of Hardik Pandya.

Earlier in the game, Shahidi won the toss and chose to bat first, setting the stage for this thrilling encounter. India made a significant change to their playing XI, replacing Ravichandran Ashwin with Shardul Thakur.

Although India entered the match as the favorites, Afghanistan’s history of causing upsets in major tournaments kept the suspense alive. The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, known for its batting-friendly wickets, presented an opportunity for Afghanistan to post a competitive total and challenge the formidable Indian team.

This match deviates from the past fixtures in this World Cup, promising a nail-biting finish. With the presence of top-quality spinners in both teams, it remains to be seen how the conditions at the Kotla play out. Afghanistan, having won an ODI series in Bangladesh recently, hopes to bring their A-game against India.

Key Highlights:

• Jasprit Bumrah initiated India’s breakthrough by dismissing Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran for 22 runs.
• Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur swiftly followed up with wickets, causing Afghanistan to lose three wickets within the first 14 overs.
• Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi, won the toss and elected to bowl against Rohit Sharma-led India.
• India made a strategic change to their Playing XI by including Shardul Thakur in place of Ravichandran Ashwin.
• Afghanistan is yet to secure a victory against India in any format.
• Ravindra Jadeja has an impressive record against Afghanistan, having claimed 7 ODI wickets against them, with 9 wickets in Delhi.
• Virat Kohli returns to his home ground at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where he has scored 222 runs from 6 ODI innings, with a highest score of 112.