A cakewalk for Team India as they thumped Afghanistan by 8 wickets in the World Cup encounter in Delhi. While captain Rohit Sharma led from the front with a sensational 84-ball 131, Virat Kohli finished the match off with yet another unbeaten fifty.
It was Afghanistan, who decided to bat first after winning the toss. While the start wasn't good, having lost 3 wickets inside the first 15 overs, a 121-run partnership between Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai resurrected the Afghan innings. But Omarzai's departure for 62 provided India the opening they needed. Jasprit Bumrah's 4-wicket haul then ensured the Blue Tigers could never find the finish they wanted, managing only 272 runs on the board.
In reply, Rohit Sharma wreaked havoc on the Afghans. On a batting paradise, the Hitman just kept tonking fours and sixes at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The opposition had no answers as Rohit broke a number of records on his way to the fastest century by an Indian in World Cup history.
Rohit's special knock was the knockout punch for the Afghans, who could never recover from the onslaught. Sachin Tendulkar, Chris Gayle - he left all of them behind to create new world records. It was Rohit's 7th World Cup hundred and he went past the legendary Sachin Tendulkar with that superb ton in Delhi.
Even as Rohit departed after taking the Afghan bowlers to the cleaners, smashing 16 fours and 5 sixes, it was Virat Kohli who provided the finishing touches with his second consecutive fifty.
Kohli, who scored a brilliant 85 against Australia in tough conditions in the previous game, made the best use of a good wicket to score an unbeaten 55 off 56 balls. Apart from Kohli, Ishan Kishan scored a run-a-ball 47, while Shreyas Iyer scored a 23-ball 25*.
India will next face arch-rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad on Saturday, with both sides unbeaten in the tournament so far.