Afghanistan may not be one of the favourites in the ongoing ODI World Cup but they definitely like one against India on Wednesday in New Delhi. The Afghans chose to bat first on a Kotla track which looked like a belter but eventually lost their top three within the first 14 overs. It was when Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai joined forces in the middle and switched on the Test match mode to keep the scoreboard ticking.
IND vs AFG ICC World Cup 2023 Live
The duo dogded the Indian attack for more than 21 overs during which they notched up their respective fifties and stitched a 121-run stand for the fourth wicket which shifted the moment in Afghanistan’s favour. Shahidi scored 80 off 88 with the help of a six and 8 boundaries while Omarzai struck 4 sixes and 2 boundaries in his 62-run knock. The likes of Rashid Khan (16) and Mujeeb ur Rahman (10) provided the finishing touches, powering Afghanistan to a challenging total of 272/8 in 50 overs.
The innings against India also saw Afghans reaching several benchmarks in the ODI World Cup. The 80-run played by Shahidi is now the first fifty-plus score for an Afghanistan captain in the World Cups. He now has the third-highest individual score for Afghanistan in the tournament history. It was also his third fifty-plus score in the history of the showpiece event. Nahibullah Zadran and Samiuulah Shinwari have 2 fifty-plus scores each in the ODI World Cups.
Highest individual scores for Afghanistan in World Cups
96 – Samiullah Shinwari vs Scotland, Dunedin, 2015
86 – Ikram Alikhil vs West Indies, Leeds, 2019
80 – Hashmatullah Shahidi vs India, Delhi, 2023
76 – Hashmatullah Shahidi vs England, Manchester, 2019
62 – Rahmat Shah vs West Indies, Leeds, 2019
The score of 272/8 is now Afghanistan’s second-highest team total in the ODI World Cups. They bettered the score of 247/8 against England in Manchester.
Highest innings scores for Afghanistan in World Cups
288 vs West Indies, Leeds, 2019
272/8 vs India, Delhi, 2023
247/8 vs England, Manchester, 2019
232 vs Sri Lanka, Dunedin, 2015
227/9 vs Pakistan, Leeds, 2019
Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj registered an unwanted bowling record. He joins the club of Indian bowlers to have conceded most runs in ODI World Cups. The right-arm quick was the most expensive bowler for India against Afghanistan, returning figures of 76 for none in 10 overs.
ICC World Cup: Schedule | Results | Points Table | Most Runs | Most Wickets
Most runs conceded in a WC innings for India
88 – Yuzvendra Chahal vs ENG, Birmingham, 2019
87 – Javagal Srinath vs AUS, Johannesburg, 2003
83 – Karsan Ghavri vs ENG, Lord’s, 1975
76 – Mohammed Siraj vs AFG, Delhi, 2023
Earlier, Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai hit half-centuries as Afghanistan reached 272-8 against hosts India. Afghanistan elected to bat first at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium which witnessed a World Cup record 754 runs scored in the previous match when South Africa posted 428 and defeated Sri Lanka.
Afghanistan slipped to 63-3 before Shahidi (80) and Omarzai (62) put on 121 runs to help Afghanistan recover.
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