India gets first points, beats Afghanistan at T20 World Cup

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul combined for a blistering 140-run opening stand Wednesday as India racked up the highest score in this year’s T20 World Cup and finally won its first game, beating Afghanistan by 66 runs.

Rohit smashed 74 off 47 balls and Rahul made 69 off 48 deliveries in India’s mammoth total of 210-2 after captain Virat Kohli lost his third successive toss and was asked to bat first. Hardik Pandya (35 not out) and Rishabh Pant (27 not out) provided a brisk finish by hammering 65 runs in the last four overs as Afghanistan’s premier bowler Rashid Khan returned with a rare unimpressive figure of 0-36.

India's Rishabh Pant bats during the Cricket Twenty20 World Cup match between India and Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

India's Mohammed Shami, right, celebrates with India's captain Virat Kohli the dismissal of Afghanistan's Mohammad Shahzad during the T20 World Cup match between India and Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. (AP Photo)

Karim Janat, who reached 1,000 runs in T20 internationals, remained unbeaten on 42 off 22 balls to narrow the margin of defeat.

Afghanistan never looked likely to come close before finishing on 144-7 to lose its second game in four matches. Ravichandran Ashwin, playing his first game of the tournament, picked up 2-14 and buckled Afghanistan in the middle overs with fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja.

Despite the big win, India’s slim chance to progress into the semifinals depends on whether it can beat Scotland and Namibia by big margins while other results also go in its favor.