Rohit Sharma's explosive 131 off 63 balls powered India to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the ICC World Cup on Wednesday in Delhi.
Rohit’s innings included 12 fours and four sixes, making it the fastest century by an Indian in a World Cup match. He made a formidable 156-run partnership with Ishan Kishan in the first wicket stand. India successfully chased down Afghanistan's 272-8.
Earlier, Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai formed a resilient 121-run partnership, the second-highest in Afghanistan's World Cup history. Despite their effort, Afghanistan's total was eclipsed by India's strong batting performance.
Read: World Cup 2023: Afghanistan Sets 273-Run Target against India
Rohit’s exceptional innings set numerous records, securing India's second consecutive win in the tournament. This marked Rohit’s seventh World Cup century, the highest by any Indian player, and his 31st in ODIs.
He now stands third in the list of all-time ODI centuries, behind compatriots Sachin Tendulkar (49) and Virat Kohli (47).
Ishan contributed 47 runs off 47 balls, while Kohli added an unbeaten 55 off 56 balls. Sharma and Kishan set a brisk pace, achieving 50 runs in just 37 balls.
Sharma reached his half-century off 30 balls, the second-fastest in the World Cup. His aggressive approach also propelled him past Chris Gayle's international cricket record for the most sixes.
Ishan’s dismissal in the 19th over interrupted the partnership, allowing Virat to step in. Rohit continued his assault on the bowlers, amassing 29 runs off the next 19 balls. His partnership with Virat contributed an additional 49 runs.
Read: Afghanistan win the toss and bat first against India at the Cricket World Cup
Eventually, Rohit’s explosive innings concluded with a bowled dismissal by Rashid Khan. Virat, accompanied by Shreyas Iyer, sealed the victory with an impressive 68-run partnership for the third wicket.
For India, Hardik Pandya finished with 2-43, while Jasprit Bumrah proved to be the most successful bowler with figures of 4-39.
Afghanistan, after a cautious start, managed to post a competitive total, with Shahidi's notable 80 off 88 balls and Azmatullah's solid 62 off 69 balls. However, they lost their last four wickets for 36 runs, with Bumrah claiming two crucial dismissals.
While Afghanistan achieved their second-highest World Cup total, it was not enough to deter India's dominant pursuit of victory.