Shami hat-trick helps India survive Afghanistan scare
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India 224 for 8 (Kohli 67, Jadhav 52, Nabi 2-33) beat Afghanistan 213 (Nabi 52, Shami 4-40) by 11 runs
Southampton: Mohammed Shami's hat-trick denied Afghanistan a historic and shock World Cup victory over India in Southampton.
India looked in danger of losing when Afghanistan struck a boundary off the first ball of the final over to move to within 12 runs of victory.
However, Shami had Mohammad Nabi caught on the boundary for 52 before demolishing the stumps of numbers 10 and 11 with searing yorkers.
Defeat eliminates Afghanistan, while India move above England into third.
India had earlier posted 224-8, with Virat Kohli top-scoring with 67 on a slow pitch.
Afghanistan, who had never beaten India and whose only previous World Cup win was against Scotland in 2015, gamely worked their way towards victory but were heavily reliant on Nabi after a middle order wobble saw them fall from 106-2 to 166-6.
Nabi successfully overturned an lbw decision in the 48th over and managed to take his side to within two blows of victory before Shami's thrilling intervention.
Chasing 225 was always going to be a challenge for Afghanistan, on that surface and against India’s attack. But they gave India a scare. In Shami’s second over, Hazratullah Zazai was hit on the pads. India reviewed it. Replays showed the ball pitching, and umpire Aleem Dar’s decision stood. India lost their review, much to Kohli’s agitation. Zazai then edged Bumrah past Kohli at second slip for four.
After several plays-and-missed, Zazai heaved at Shami and was bowled for 10. Shami’s first spell was 4-1-6-1.
Chasing 225 was always going to be a challenge for Afghanistan, on that surface and against India’s attack. But they gave India a scare. In Shami’s second over, Hazratullah Zazai was hit on the pads. India reviewed it. Replays showed the ball pitching, and umpire Aleem Dar’s decision stood. India lost their review, much to Kohli’s agitation. Zazai then edged Bumrah past Kohli at second slip for four. After several plays-and-missed, Zazai heaved at Shami and was bowled for 10. Shami’s first spell was 4-1-6-1.
Kohli turned to spin as early as the ninth wicket, but Afghanistan’s batsmen resisted. Gulbadin Naib and Rahmat Shah stubbornly kept India waiting for their next entry point. They defended most of the top deliveries, kept out the good ones and dabbed and steered the rest. Occasionally a shot of authority was produced, such the two consecutive pull shots that Gulbadin played off Hardik Pandya. A stumping appeal off Kuldeep Yadav added to the mood.
Then, Gulbadin attempted to break the rut against Pandya and picked out deep midwicket for 27 off 42 balls. An opening, but not one that India could smash down. Rahmat advanced to Pandya and laced four through the covers. Shahidi hammered Kuldeep past midwicket. Yuzvendra Chahal was cut past a slow Bumrah at gully, Kuldeep smacked for four. Another stumping appeal proved fruitless, and Kohli called back Bumrah.
Two balls after he was beaten for movement by Bumrah and rapped on the pads, Rahmat was hurried for pace by a short ball and top-edged to deep square leg. His 63-ball 36 had given Afghanistan hope, but Bumrah snuffed it out. Before the over was up, Bumrah took a low caught-and-bowled to add Shahidi for 21. Two wickets for no runs, Afghanistan 106/4 after 29 overs.
