New Delhi: In the India vs. Afghanistan match on 11th Oct 2023, Rohit Sharma emerged as the standout performer with his impressive 131 runs from just 84 balls.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli played a solid innings, remaining unbeaten at 55, as India comfortably secured an 8-wicket victory in New Delhi on Wednesday over Afghanistan.

Captain Rohit Sharma achieved a remarkable feat by scoring a record seventh World Cup century, surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. This outstanding performance led India to a dominant eight-wicket victory over Afghanistan.

The hosts successfully chased a target of 273 runs in New Delhi, with Rohit’s 131 runs off 63 balls playing a pivotal role in securing their second consecutive win in this 50-over tournament.

Rohit’s century brought the enthusiastic crowd to their feet, surpassing Tendulkar’s previous record of six centuries in World Cup matches.

Rohit, who was named the man of the match, expressed his happiness, saying, “Special to get a World Cup 100. Very happy about that.

Don’t want to think about records too much because I know there’s a long way to go.” He emphasized his responsibility of providing a strong start to the team and expressed his love for this role.

Rohit’s century also set a new record for being the fastest by an Indian in a World Cup, surpassing Kapil Dev’s 1983 hundred in 72 balls.

Several Records broken:

He reached 1,000 World Cup runs and even exceeded Chris Gayle’s record of 553 sixes across all international formats, with a dynamic inning that included 16 fours and five sixes.

The opening partnership of 156 runs with Ishan Kishan, who contributed 47 runs, further solidified India’s dominance in this match, following a strong bowling performance on a batting-friendly pitch.

Virat Kohli, the Delhi-born superstar cricketer, continued the successful chase with an unbeaten 55, supported by Shreyas Iyer, who made 25 not out and hit the tournament’s longest six at 101 meters.

Afghanistan posted a total of 272-8 after choosing to bat, following a previous match at the same venue which saw a World Cup record of 754 runs.

Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, stood out with his best World Cup bowling figures of 4-39, contributing to Afghanistan’s early struggles at 63-3.

Afghanistan’s captain, Hashmatullah Shahidi (80), and Azmatullah Omarzai (62) then staged a notable recovery with a partnership of 121 runs.

Bumrah continued his impact by taking crucial wickets, and Rohit rotated his bowlers to break their stand. While Omarzai reached his second ODI fifty, Shahidi brought up his half-century with a boundary, following it with a six.

However, their resilience was ultimately met with India’s skillful bowling. Jasprit Bumrah claimed vital wickets, including Rashid Khan, to keep Afghanistan’s score in check on a high-scoring wicket.

Afghanistan’s captain Shahidi expressed a positive outlook despite the loss, stating, “We have seven more games, looking forward to those games. Hopefully we learn from our mistakes and we will work on it.”

This victory marked India’s second win in the tournament, while Afghanistan was aiming to recover after losing their opening match to Bangladesh.