New Delhi (India ) : India defeated Afghanistan by 8 wickets in the ninth match of World Cup 2023. Rohit Sharma became the fastest batsman to score a century for India in the mega event against Afghanistan
Playing first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi,
Afghanistan set India a target of 273 runs which Rohit Sharma’s XI achieved in the 35th over.
With this victory, India has moved one place above Pakistan in the points table, with New Zealand at first, India at second, Pakistan at third and South Africa at fourth.
The highlight of the Indian innings was the brilliant partnership of 156 runs by the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan.
Ishan Kishan became a victim of Rashid Khan by scoring 47 runs, during which he hit 2 sixes and 5 fours.
On the second wicket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli established a partnership of 49 runs. The Indian captain returned to the pavilion after playing an innings of 131 runs off 84 balls. He was also dismissed by Rashid Khan. Rohit Sharma scored 5 runs during his innings. Hitting sixes and 16 fours, he held several records during that innings, including the fastest century by an Indian in a World Cup.
Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 55 and Shreyas Iyer on 25 runs, Rohit Sharma was named Man of the Match for his excellent performance in the match.
Earlier, Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first and scored 272 runs for 8 wickets in the allotted 50 overs.
Heshmatullah Shahidi 80, Azmatullah Omar Zai 60, Ibrahim Zadran 22 and Rahmanullah Garbaz scored 21 runs from the Afghan team.
From Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi 19, Rashid Khan and Rahmat Shah 16, 16 while Najeebullah Zadran got out with 2 runs while Mujeebur Rehman 10 and Naveen ul Haq remained unbeaten with 9 runs.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah took 4 wickets and Hardik Pandya took 2 wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav and Shardal Thakur took 1 and 1 of the Afghan players. Rohit Sharma scored a century off 63 balls with the help of 4 sixes and 12 fours.
Before Rohit Sharma, this record was held by former India captain Kapil Dev, who scored a 72-ball century in the 1983 World Cup.
The fastest century in World Cup history belongs to South Africa’s Eden Markram, who completed his 100 in just 49 balls.
Chasing Afghanistan’s target of 273 runs, the Indian captain scored his 31st ODI century.
Rohit Sharma has become the batsman with the most centuries in the World Cup with an innings, he has scored 7 centuries in 19 matches in 3 World Cups.
India’s Sachin Tendulkar played 45 matches in 6 World Cup tournaments and scored 6 centuries while Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and Australia’s Ricky Ponting have 5 centuries each in the mega event.
