India vs Afghanistan, Highlights, T20 World Cup 2021: India win by 66 runs in dominant display

23:36 (IST)

Alright, that's it from us folks!

This was a massive win for India, and a much needed shot in the arm. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma stood out with the bat, while Mohammed Shami and R Ashwin did well with the ball. While India's future is no longer in their own hands, if New Zealand were to slip up, they could still be in with a chance. Do make sure to tune back in tomorrow, and stay updated about the two matches on the cards. Until then, goodbye, goodnight and happy Diwali!

23:31 (IST)

Virat Kohli: "Much better wicket to be fair. We spoke about how in the other games, if we had two overs of free-flowing batting, then that would have sent a message to the opposition that we are going to put you under the pump.

Sometimes, you fall to the pressure and have to accept it. T20 cricket is a very instinctive game, in batting, bowling and decision-making. We make our decisions on the go. The top three is mostly settled unless situations like today when the openers batted all the way through and the power-hitters were ready.

We don't always decide early to go hard, but we back ourselves and when we get going, we know what we can do. To keep playing this way is the plan, but as I said, sometimes you give in to the pressure. The other teams bowled really well.

Net Run Rate was on my mind to be honest. We are always positive, and so we're thinking about it.

The return of R Ashwin is a positive, he did well in the IPL and when he does this, we get control in the middle. That's what I'm most pleased about."

23:28 (IST)

Mohammad Nabi: "We wanted to bat second because of dew, the wicket looked really good for batting. In the end there wasn't much dew. India batted well on this pitch and put our bowlers under pressure. We didn't rotate strike properly, we threw away wickets."

23:18 (IST)

Rohit Sharma, PotM: "The idea was to get off to a good start, which didn't happen in the first two games. We wanted to lay a good foundation, a platform so other batters could come in and do well too. KL Rahul played so well from the other end, the partnership was crucial.

Looking at the trend, Afghanistan have batted first, so we were expecting to field first. It was a good pitch to bat on, so getting to a respectable total was important. We knew that the NRR would come in to play at some time, so we wanted a big win.

Whatever the team requires, I have to do that. Today it was necessary for us to get off and running today. Usually I like to assess the situation, take some time, but today we needed to go full tilt from the start."

23:13 (IST)

India win by 66 runs!

After 20 overs,Afghanistan 144/7 ( Karim Janat 42 , Sharafuddin Ashraf 2)

Hardik Pandya to bowl the final over. He's hit for FOUR on the first ball, Janat beats the sweeper to his left. Four singles, and then a SIX to end! That was hammered hard over extra cover. India win by 66 runs! After a spectacular batting display, they do well with the ball, with Shami picking up three wickets and Ashwin getting two. It was a must-win match for India, and mathematically, their semi-final hopes remain alive.

23:07 (IST)

After 19 overs,Afghanistan 130/7 ( Karim Janat 30 , Sharafuddin Ashraf 0)

Shami to bowl his final over now. Starts with a wide and then OUT! It's a slower ball from Shami, and Mohammad Nabi gets his timing ever so slightly wrong, hitting his shot into the hands of Ravindra Jadeja at the cow corner boundary. OUT! Mohammed Shami's got two in two thanks to a spectacular catch from Ravindra Jadeja! Oh no, wait, it's not out. The TV replay shows that it just grazed the ground as Jadeja took it. It was pretty special though, I'd have given it if it were up to me. Anyway, Shami strikes again! This time there's no debate as Rashid hits straight into the hands of Hardik Pandya at long on! Doubel, single and dot to end the over. Shami finishes with figures of 4-0-32-3.

22:54 (IST)

After 17 overs,Afghanistan 109/5 ( Mohammad Nabi (C) 22 , Karim Janat 23)

Bumrah's final over, and he's hit for FOUR! Of all people, it's a midfield from Ravindra Jadeja, who overran the ball and ended up slipping as it passed behind him. Single, and then Nabi puts away a wide full toss for FOUR! It's clattered past the backward point fielder, who valiantly tried to dive and stop it despite not having a cat in hell's chance. A dot, and then two wides from Bumrah. Unnecessary runs these. Two dots to end the over, Bumrah finishes with figures of 4-0-25-1.

22:48 (IST)

After 16 overs,Afghanistan 98/5 ( Mohammad Nabi (C) 18 , Karim Janat 18)

Shardul Thakur to bowl his second over. Starts with a single, and then he's hit for SIX! Janat managed to get a ridiculous amount of power on his shot, and it flies over fine leg. That was a dismissive shot. Single, dot and two more singles follow. 

22:42 (IST)

After 15 overs,Afghanistan 88/5 ( Mohammad Nabi (C) 16 , Karim Janat 10)

Bumrah returns to bowl his third over. First one's a dot, and then almost a run out! Lovely throw from Jadeja, but it looked like Nabi had crossed the line. Yeah, he was in by a couple of feet at least. Oof, short and quick delivery from Bumrah, Janat has to duck to avoid having his helmet rattled. Single, dot and single to end the over.

22:38 (IST)

After 14 overs,Afghanistan 85/5 ( Mohammad Nabi (C) 14 , Karim Janat 9)

Ashwin's final over, can he pick up another wicket? Four singles to start. While it's highly unlikely that Afghanistan will win this now, India still need to try and get them out as soon as possible, because their Net Run Rate is quite low at the moment. Dot and single to end, Ashwin finishes with figures of 4-0-14-2. Not bad for someone playing their first T20I in over four years.

22:32 (IST)

After 12 overs,Afghanistan 70/5 ( Mohammad Nabi (C) 7 , Karim Janat 1)

Ashwin to bowl a third now. Dot, and then Nabi and Najib run two. Oh great work from Rohit at extra-cover. It looked like the ball bounced before he took a catch, but the umpire decides to check the replay anyway. The ball was just an inch too short, it hit the ground before Rohit collected it. Single and then OUT! Clever delivery from Ashwin, Najib tries the reverse sweep, but he misses it and can only watch in horror as his stumps are taken out! Single to end the over.

22:23 (IST)

After 10 overs,Afghanistan 61/4 ( Najibullah Zadran 9 , Mohammad Nabi (C) 1)

Ashwin to bowl a second. Single and a dot to start. OUT! Ashwin traps Gulbadin LBW, and the umpire's finger goes up straight away! Gulbadin tries to sweep that, but misses and the ball hits his thigh right in front of the wicket. Time for a drinks break.Single, dot, wide and single to end.

22:14 (IST)

After 9 overs,Afghanistan 58/3 ( Gulbadin Naib 18 , Najibullah Zadran 8)

Jadeja continues. Dot and then SIX! Najib smoked that over wide long-on! Really powerful shot that. Single and three dots to wrap up the over, Jadeja is keeping the Afghanistan batters on their toes by bowling his overs quickly.

22:11 (IST)

After 8 overs,Afghanistan 51/3 ( Gulbadin Naib 18 , Najibullah Zadran 1)

R Ashwin's first over of the tournament! Dot, single and dot to start. He's waited four years to get back into the T20I squad, can he show something special tonight? Two more dots and a single to end the over.

22:09 (IST)

After 7 overs,Afghanistan 49/3 ( Gulbadin Naib 17 , Najibullah Zadran 0)

Ravindra Jadeja to bowl the first over after the powerplay. Two dots a single to begin. Looks like a good over so far, Afghanistan cannot afford to let too many dot balls pass them by. Speaking of which, another dot ball. OUT! Rahmanullah hit a shot high into the air, but there's too much height and not enough distance, and Hardik Pandya takes a great catch on the line. Jadeja picks up a wicket! Single off the last ball, excellent over from Jadeja!

21:54 (IST)

After 4 overs,Afghanistan 17/2 ( Rahmanullah Gurbaz 3 , Gulbadin Naib 1)

Bumrah to bowl his second over. OUT! Bumrah strikes! Hazrat Zazai hit that to mid-on and Shardul Thakur got under it to take a good catch. India's bowling attack is off to a wonderful start! Two dots to follow, and then Rahmanullah gets off the mark with a single. Naib then does the same in the next ball. Well-run double to end the over.

21:48 (IST)

After 3 overs,Afghanistan 13/1 ( Hazratullah Zazai 13 , Rahmanullah Gurbaz 0)

Shami continues. Another delivery that's swerving away from the batter, he's got the ball moving like he's a snake charmer. Fuller, slower delivery and it almost catches out Zazai. Shami is looking so dangerous. Oh wow, a lot of movement here. Once again, it swerves away from Zazai, who just cannot seem to hit it at the moment. Another dot, and then Zazai finally takes a single. It could have been a boundary though, if not for some great fielding from Jasprit Bumrah at midwicket. Oh, that's OUT! Huge leading edge, and the ball flies into the air and back down into the hands of R Ashwin. Mohammed Shami gets the breakthrough, and Shahzad's sent packing!

21:40 (IST)

After 2 overs,Afghanistan 12/0 ( Hazratullah Zazai 12 , Mohammad Shahzad (W) 0)

Jasprit Bumrah to bowl now. He'll be hoping to pick up a couple of early wickets, before the dew well and truly sets in. Starts with a good yorker, just a dot. Oh, what a shot! It's hammered for SIX by Zazai. He jabbed at it, and it carried over the fence at midwicket, it was so, so flat. Dot, single and then another great ball from Bumrah, that was a real toe-crusher. Almost picked up the wicket there. Dot to end the over. 

21:36 (IST)

After 1 overs,Afghanistan 5/0 ( Hazratullah Zazai 5 , Mohammad Shahzad (W) 0)

Alright then, Mohammed Shami to bowl the first over. Zazai and Shahzad out for Afghanistan. Dot ball to begin, and then FOUR! He chops it past backward point! Oh beautiful ball, shaping away from Zazai and it almost takes a small nick on the way. Another gorgeous delivery, that one had so much swing on it, it almost caught out Rishabh Pant. Single and dot to end the over, five from it.

21:22 (IST)

After 20 overs,India 210/2 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 27 , Hardik Pandya 35)

Hamid Hasan gets the final over. Starts with a FOUR! Rishabh Pant scooped that over short fine leg very, very well. OH LORD, THIS IS GREAT HITTING! Huge SIX from Pant, he was off balance but he still managed to hit it down the ground for a maximum. A boundary for Pandya and two singles, India end with 210! After an excellent opening partnership from KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant went berserk and put together a 63 run stand off 21 balls to power India to the tournament's highest total yet.

21:15 (IST)

After 19 overs,India 194/2 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 17 , Hardik Pandya 31)

Naveen's to bowl the penultimate over, his third. He's gone for 40 already. Oh my word, Najibullah Zadran's just dropped Pandya! And there's also been a coming together between Pandya, who was sprinting back for a second, and the Afghan keeper Shahzad. That was a crunching collision together, they'll both be feeling it when they wake up tomorrow. Still, smiles all around, both can continue. Wide and then SIX! Sheer power from Hardik Pandya, he's walloped it over extra cover! Pandya's feeling it tonight! A couple of singles, and then Pandya hammers it back over the keeper's head for SIX! Brutal hitting from the all-rounder! This is now the highest total of the tournament so far. Very well run double from Pant and Pandya!

21:07 (IST)

After 18 overs,India 175/2 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 16 , Hardik Pandya 14)

Hamid's third over, and it starts with a FOUR as Pandya quickly rearranges his feet and whacks a shot to the cow corner fence! Two singles, and then another FOUR! Pandya pulls with all his might to beat deep midwicket! Oh, another FOUR! Pandya is really moving up through the gears! Swatted away to deep mid-wicket! Single to end the over.

21:02 (IST)

After 17 overs,India 160/2 ( Rishabh Pant (W) 15 , Hardik Pandya 1)

Gulbadin Naib to bowl his final over now. Two singles, and then OUT! Bowled em! Gulbadin picks up KL Rahul's wicket! Rahul tried to shuffle across and lap it over the keeper, but Gulbadin's delivery outfoxes him and takes out the stumps. Single, and then Pant hits back to back sixes! Both of those were hammered straight down the ground and over the bowler's head!

20:58 (IST)

After 16 overs,India 145/1 ( KL Rahul 68 , Rishabh Pant (W) 2)

Rashid's final over. Can he pick up a wicket or two while India are recovering from the loss of Rohit? Dot and a single to begin, and then a big call for LBW. Pant was a long way down the pitch there. Nabi decides to back up Rashid and go for the review. No bat involved. It was pitching outside leg, no wicket. Oh, another call for LBW, and this time the finger goes up! India choose to review it! Good review, it took a nick off the gloves. No wicket, once again. Third time of asking, and Pant finally manages to make contact with the bat, he runs a single. Dot and single to end the over.

20:51 (IST)

After 15 overs,India 142/1 ( KL Rahul 66 , Rishabh Pant (W) 1)

Nabi looks to Karim Janat for a breakthrough. Starts off with a short one, and it's put away for FOUR by KL Rahul! He uses his wrists and whacks a square cut to the point boundary! Single and dot follow, and then finally, a wicket! OUT! Rohit Sharma departs and a wonderful partnership comes to an end! Sharma hits straight to covers and is caught on 74, but he's done more than enough to set his team up for a big total. Karim Janat gets the wicket. Oh, here's a surprise, Rishabh Pant's come on. Over ends with two singles.

20:45 (IST)

After 14 overs,India 135/0 ( KL Rahul 60 , Rohit Sharma 74)

Rashid's third over now. He's struggled against these two, but he can always come up with a wicket when it matters. Starts with four singles, and then Rohit hammers him for SIX over midwicket! There's very few batters who would do that to Rashid. OH ANOTHER SIX! Rohit gets down on one knee and sends that soaring over deep square leg! Huge hit!

20:41 (IST)

After 13 overs,India 119/0 ( KL Rahul 58 , Rohit Sharma 60)

A third over from Gulbadin, could he possibly provide the breakthrough that Afghanistan so desperately need? Nope, KL Rahul hits a FOUR off the first ball, and he joins his teammate in scoring a half-century! This is a typically elegant and classy knock from Rahul, and it's his first ever 50 in a T20 World Cup! Four more singles, and then another FOUR to wrap up the over! This time Rahul pushes it to the right of short fine leg!

20:36 (IST)

After 12 overs,India 107/0 ( KL Rahul 48 , Rohit Sharma 58)

Naveen's third over now, he's been expensive in the first two. Single, and then a FOUR! It brings up the half-century for Rohit Sharma! It's been vintage Rohit tonight, he's been playing with real style. This performance will do his confidence a world of good after having struggled recently. Single and then KL Rahul dispatches a hip-height delivery to deep square leg for SIX! That was so casual, effortless batting from Rahul. 100 runs up for India! Oh, wide and short, that's lifted over short third for FOUR by Rohit! Big over this.

20:30 (IST)

After 11 overs,India 91/0 ( KL Rahul 41 , Rohit Sharma 49)

Gulbadin to bowl his second over. Single and a dot to start. Oh FOUR! Rohit Sharma gets the boundary after playing it very fine, threading the gap between keeper and short third! Single and two dots to end.

20:16 (IST)

After 9 overs,India 74/0 ( KL Rahul 33 , Rohit Sharma 40)

Sharafuddin to bowl, and he starts with two singles before KL Rahul picks out the gap and whacks it to the long leg boundary, that's FOUR! Three singles to end the over.

20:11 (IST)

After 8 overs,India 65/0 ( KL Rahul 26 , Rohit Sharma 38)

Alright then, the moment everyone was waiting for. Rashid Khan's been brought in to bowl. He's got an excellent record against Indian batters, can he take a couple of wickets and take the wind out of India's sails? Three singles to start off. Do Rohit and Rahul just let his overs pass by, or do they try and attack? At the moment they seem to be treating him with a fair deal of caution. Oh good running from the two, they sprint their lungs off to complete a quick double. Half-hearted appeals for LBW from Rashid after the ball hits Rahul's leg, but he'd placed his foot well wide of the stumps. Single to end the over.

20:07 (IST)

After 7 overs,India 59/0 ( KL Rahul 22 , Rohit Sharma 36)

An excellent powerplay for India, 53 is not bad at all. Gulbadin to bowl now. Oh what fielding from Hazratullah at the boundary rope, he's saved a certain boundary with a diving effort! Oof, vicious delivery from Gulbadin, bowled quick and into Rahul's body, it rockets off his hip bone. He looks hurt, but not too badly, he can continue. Four singles to end the over.

20:02 (IST)

After 6 overs,India 53/0 ( KL Rahul 18 , Rohit Sharma 34)

Hamid continues. Single, and two dots to start. There was a call for LBW on the third delivery, but only the bowler seemed convinced. He manages to get his team to take the review. No bat involved in the replay, but it was drifting well wide of the stumps. Oh, great yorker! Bowled right into the feet of Rohit, he just about manages to stop it from hitting the wickets. Oh, two more dots, great over this. Only one run from it. 

19:51 (IST)

After 4 overs,India 35/0 ( KL Rahul 16 , Rohit Sharma 19)

Hamid to bowl his first over. Starts with two singles and a dot. Oh, a little bit of hesitation from Rahul and Rohit, almost resulted in a run-out. This is as good a start as India have had recently. Couple of singles to end. 

19:40 (IST)

After 2 overs,India 23/0 ( KL Rahul 13 , Rohit Sharma 10)

Sharafuddin in now. Single to start, and then a delightfully inventive four from Rohit Sharma. Delicately paddled away fine past short fine. single, dot and then SIX!! Rahul came down the pitch and clobbered it over mid-on! KL Rahul then ends with a FOUR! Hit to to long-on again, this was just a little less firmly struck, it's one bounce and over the crease.

19:35 (IST)

After 1 overs,India 7/0 ( KL Rahul 2 , Rohit Sharma 5)

Alright then, after the experimental duo of KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan in the last match, we're back to Rahul and Rohit. Nabi will begin the bowling. Dot and two singles to start. It's a good first over so far. A dot, a single and then FOUR! Nicely done by Rahul! Lifted over extra cover.

19:31 (IST)

No but seriously, what are the odds?

The last time Kohli won a toss in T20I was in March against ENG, in 2nd T20I. Since then, he's lost 6 tosses in a row. He's lost his last 3 ODI tosses as well (13 of last 16) & 6 tosses lost in last 7 Tests (11 out of last 14). Can they send someone else just for the toss? ????????

— Jigar Mehta (@jigsactin) November 3, 2021

19:20 (IST)

Afghanistan Playing XI: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad(w), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Hamid Hassan

19:15 (IST)

India Playing XI: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli(c), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah

19:09 (IST)

Virat Kohli: "The situation is tricky for us, but there's still a chance. We'll focus on that chance, and play as well as we can. We haven't done that recently, but we need to shrug that off now.

We would have bowled first, tried to restrict the team and then chase it down. For us, it's an opportunity to come out and put big runs on the board, on what looks like a fresh pitch.

Suryakumar Yadav is back, he'll bat where he batted in the first match. Varun Chakaravarthy has a niggle, he'll be replaced by R Ashwin."

19:07 (IST)

Afghanistan win the toss and opt to bowl first

"The last game there was a lot of dew, so I think we'll bowl first. Mujeeb isn't playing. The team is in a good shape, we've practised a lot. We'll play cricket normally and enjoy it." - Mohammad Nabi

18:49 (IST)

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 Points table, team, venue, schedule

Click here to check out the points table for the T20 World Cup.

18:25 (IST)

From beacons of hope to symbols of pride - Afghanistan's soul-stirring journey

Last Sunday, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi witnessed the end of an era in Afghanistan cricket. Without warning, in the middle of the T20 World Cup, a former captain announced his retirement from the international stage. Such dramatic calls often point to a discord within the side, a seemingly irrevocable fractious divide.

It might be a while yet before the exact reason behind Asghar Afghan’s premature, abrupt departure is known, but it can be said without equivocation that he wasn’t nudged out because of dressing-room frictions. Afghanistan’s first Test captain is widely loved and revered within the contours of the team and beyond. As the tears flowed copiously and unchecked, Gulbadin Naib hoisted Afghan on his shoulders in scenes reminiscent of Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble’s last days in international cricket.

Click here to read more of R Kaushik's piece on Afghanistan's journey.

18:17 (IST)

Virat Kohli shouldn’t take Afghanistan lightly, they are no pushovers

It has been a rude shock for all sports fans, including pundits like me, but this is the nature of the beast called T20 cricket — a wonderful format that gives David a chance to slay the Goliath! This is not to undermine the stature and performance of New Zealand, who have been a top-class team in all formats of the game.

But the hype and hoopla around Team India had created a narrative that the World Cup was ours for the taking. Reality is in front of us. The stark reality where Team India finds it difficult to even qualify for the semi-finals! We might have the stars, but on the day what matters is what you dish out and what India dished out was unpalatable, to say the least.

Click here to read more of Atul Wassan's take on the match.

18:08 (IST)

India seek solutions to batting woes in must-win game against Afghanistan

India's batting order appears to be in a significant degree of disarray at the moment, the most telling sign of which was the fact that Kohli opted to use different openers in both of the matches played so far. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul opened proceedings for India against Pakistan, but a few days later, Rohit was moved down into third, with Ishan Kishan opening alongside Rahul instead. Kohli mentioned that this change was a forced one, a stop-gap measure enacted because Suryakumar Yadav was suffering from back spasms, and it very much looked so, with the top-order batters crumbling against New Zealand.

Click here to read more of the main talking points ahead of tonight's match.

17:53 (IST)

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the T20 World Cup!

India take on Afghanistan in the Group 2 Super 12 match at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. India would look to bounce back hard after two defeats in two matches in the T20 World Cup so far. It's going to be really difficult to qualify for the semis. They need to win their remaining three matches and hope the other decisions go their way. Stay tuned for all the latest updates, live score and more from this do-or-die match!