Captain Rohit Sharma’s scintillating century propelled India to a resounding eight-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the World Cup match held in Delhi.
Rohit’s brilliant 131 off 84 balls led India to chase down the target of 273 with 15 overs to spare. Hashmatullah Shahidi’s 80 had initially put Afghanistan on course for a competitive total, but Jasprit Bumrah’s figures of 4-39 restricted them to 272-8.
India’s win secures their second victory in as many games, while Afghanistan faces their second consecutive defeat. The hosts, along with New Zealand and Pakistan, maintain a perfect record after two matches. Their upcoming clash against Pakistan in Ahmedabad promises to be a tournament highlight.
Afghanistan remains in Delhi, set to meet defending champions England. Rohit Sharma, the leading run-scorer at the 2019 World Cup, missed out in India’s opening win over Australia. However, his exceptional century in this match broke records, surpassing India legend Sachin Tendulkar’s six World Cup centuries.
Rohit’s century, achieved in just 63 balls, set a new record for the fastest hundred by an Indian in a World Cup, surpassing Kapil Dev’s iconic 72-ball century in 1983. Rohit’s third six marked his 554th in all international cricket, surpassing the previous record held by West Indies’ Chris Gayle.
His innings was marked by effortless elegance and powerful clean-hitting. Rohit’s shots ranged from precise pulls to exquisite drives, forming a century-opening partnership of 156 with Ishan Kishan, who contributed 14 runs.
After Kishan’s departure on 47, Rohit continued his partnership with Virat Kohli, adding another 49 runs. Rohit’s innings ended with an ambitious sweep off Rashid Khan, but by then, India required only 68 runs for victory.
Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 55, building on his strong performance against Australia, leaving India as a formidable contender in the tournament.
