India outplayed Afghanistan by 101 runs in their last Asia Cup match Thursday in the United Arab Emirates’ Dubai.
Virat Kohli hit a ton in this match – his first after more than 1,000 days – and guided India to a big win.
Batting first after losing the toss, India posted 212.
Afghanistan scored 111 for eight in 20 overs. Ibrahim Zadran remained unbeaten on 64 off 59 balls with four fours and two sixes. Mujeeb Ur Rahman scored 18.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up five wickets for four runs in four overs. Arshdeep Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin and Deepak Hooda took one wicket each.
Earlier, Lokesh Rahul fell prey to Fareed Ahmad for 62 off 41 balls with six fours and two sixes. But Virat stood like a rock at the other end of the wicket. Lokesh and Virat added 119 runs in the opening stand.
Virat completed his hundred off 53 balls. With a six off Fareed, Virat reached the magical figure. He remained unbeaten on 122 off 61 balls, the highest individual T20 score by an Indian batter, with 12 fours and six sixes.
In the group phase, Afghanistan beat both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh; India outplayed Pakistan and Hong Kong. But in the Super 4, both Afghanistan and India lost to Pakistan.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take on each other in the final on September 11. Before that, they will play another match on September 9 – the last match in the Super 4— whose result will be inconsequential.
Source: United News of Bangladesh