India's Mohammed Shami claimed a sensational final-over hat-trick as Afghanistan just missed out on major World Cup upset Saturday.
A day after Sri Lanka stunned England in Leeds, an even bigger upset looked on the cards only for India to sneak home by 11 runs after strike bowler Shami's last-gasp heroics.
Afghanistan made the most of a slow wicket to restrict India to 224/8, their lowest total of the tournament, but then struggled themselves.
Needing 16 to win off the last six balls with three wickets remaining, they were all out for 213, slumping to their sixth successive defeat.
Shami dismissed Mohammad Nabi, who top-scored for the Afghans with 52, Aftab Alam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to complete his hat-trick.
Mohammed Shami joins an elite club as he becomes the ninth player to take a hat-trick in men's World Cups! ?#CWC19 | #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/X3wWKCa90B
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 22, 2019
Having bled 397 in their previous outing against England, the spin-heavy Afghan attack had earlier redeemed themselves against India's vaunted batting line-up.
Off-spinner Mujeeb drew first blood in the fifth over when he bowled the in-form Rohit Sharma for one after India opted to bat.
India, known for preserving wickets and accelerating later, managed only 41 runs in the first 10 overs.
Kohli batted with trademark fluency, though, making up for a lack of boundaries with smart running between the wickets during his breezy 67.
He forged two half-century partnerships, first with KL Rahul and then Vijay Shankar, to steady the innings.
#GulbadinNaib on Jasprit Bumrah: "Credit goes to him, how he bowled in the last two, three overs was superb"#SpiritOfCricket #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/aGxLCrL3yK
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 22, 2019
Replacing the injured Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order, Rahul made 30 before attempting an unnecessary reverse sweep and gifting his wicket.
Shankar did not convert his start either and made 29 before falling leg-before to Rahmat Shah.
Nabi then struck the biggest blow in the 31st over when he had Kohli caught at point.
India still had enough firepower in their batting line-up but the unerring Afghan spinners straight-jacketed them.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni made a labored 28 and Hardik Pandya could not reproduce his trademark power-hitting.
Jasprit Bumrah is the Player of the Match after taking 2/39 from his 10 overs ? #CWC19 | #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/LZVYjMN9KW
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 22, 2019
Kedar Jadhav (52) hit the only six in the India innings but the expected late burst did not materialize.
Rashid Khan, whose figure of 9-0-110-0 against England were the worst in World Cup history, bounced back with 1/38 in 10 tidy overs.
Afghanistan wobbled early in their chase, losing Hazratullah Zazai in the seventh over but they made slow, steady progress even after Gulbadin Naib fell for 27.
Jasprit Bumrah dismissed Rahmat Shah (36) and Hashmatulla Shahidi (21) during a two-wicket maiden to drag India back into the contest.
Shami conceded a boundary off the first ball of the final over but struck with his third, fourth and fifth deliveries to finish with 4/40.
MATCH 28
INDIA INNINGS R B
Rahul c Zazai b Nabi 30 53
Rohit b Mujeeb 1 10
Kohli c Rahmat b Nabi 67 63
Shankar lbw b Rahmat 29 41
Dhoni st Ikram b Rashid 28 52
Jadhav c sub (Noor) b Naib 52 68
Pandya c Ikram b Aftab 7 9
Shami b Naib 1 2
Kuldeep not out 1 1
Bumrah not out 1 1
Extras (w 7) 7
Total (50 Overs) 224/8
Fall Of Wickets
1-7 (Rohit), 2-64 (Rahul), 3-122 (Shankar), 4-135 (Kohli), 5-192 (Dhoni), 6-217 (Pandya), 7-222 (Shami), 8-223 (Jadhav)
Bowling
Mujeeb 10-0-26-1, Aftab 7-1-54-1, Naib 9-0-51-2, Nabi 9-0-33-2, Rashid 10-0-38-1, Rahmat 5-0-22-1
AFGHANISTAN INNINGS R B
Zazai b Shami 10 24
Naib c Shankar b Pandya 27 42
Rahmat c Chahal b Bumrah 36 63
Shahidi c & b Bumrah 21 45
Afghan b Chahal 8 19
Nabi c Pandya b Shami 52 55
Najibullah c Chahal b Pandya 21 23
Rashid st Dhoni b Chahal 14 16
Ikram not out 7 10
Aftab b Shami 0 1
Mujeeb b Shami 0 1
Extras (b 4, lb 4, w 9) 17
Total (49.5 Overs) 213 all out
Fall Of Wickets
1-20 (Zazai), 2-64 (Naib), 3-106 (Rahmat), 4-106 (Shahidi), 5-130 (Afghan), 6-166 (Najibullah), 7-190 (Rashid), 8-213 (Nabi), 9-213 (Aftab), 10-213 (Mujeeb)
Bowling
Shami 9.5-1-40-4, Bumrah 10-1-39-2, Chahal 10-0-36-2, Pandya 10-1-51-2, Kuldeep 10-0-39-0
India won by 11 runs
MoM: Jasprit Bumrah
