Mumbai: Suryakumar Yadav’s skilful half-century helped Team India post an impressive total of 181/8 in their opening T20 World Cup Super 8 clash against Afghanistan at Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval on Thursday.
Rohit Sharma, who won the toss and opted to bat first, was deceived by a slower off-cutter from Fazalhaq Farooqi to be dismissed for 8.
On a slowish pitch where the ball tended to stop at times, Virat Kohli (24 off 24 balls) tried to set his own pace, while Rishabh Pant (20 off 11) went all guns blazing to smash four boundaries. However, both were outfoxed by the wily leggie Rashid Khan (3/26) in successive overs.
Reduced to 62/3 in the ninth over, Suryakumar, or SKY, took control of proceedings.
He lost another partner in Shivam Dube (10 off 7), but Hardik Pandya was up to the challenge.
From 90/4, SKY and Hardik (32 off 24, 3×4, 2×6) added 60 runs in an exhilarating partnership in 6 overs. SKY ultimately fell for 53 (28 balls, 5×4, 3×6), skying a simple catch off Farooqi, who finished with 3/33.
It was SKY’s second successive 50, following an unbeaten 50 against USA.
Axar Patel struck two useful boundaries to push India past 180, which experts and commentators feel is an above-par total.
