India 311 for 3 (George 115, Sooryavanshi 68, Mhatre 62, Omarzai 2-64) beat Afghanistan 310 for 4 (Shinozada 110, Niazai 101, Kanishk Chouhan 2-55, Devendran 2-64) by seven wickets
Both George (20) and Sooryavanshi (22) were dropped early in their innings but they cashed in, and Afghanistan were left to rue their errors. The duo added 90 runs for the opening wicket off just 57 balls. Mhatre and George then put up a century-stand before Vihaan Malhotra and George all but sealed Afghanistan’s fate.
India were up and away in a flash in the chase, with George effortlessly flicking fast bowler Abdul Aziz past mid-on first ball. Sooryavanshi had a couple of sighters and then went crash, bang and wallop, sending the Afghan bowlers on a leather hunt. It was butchering at one end and precision at the other. Sooryavanshi took on spinner Wahidullah Zadran, thrashing him for two fours and a six in the fourth over while George effortlessly got the boundaries away.
Sooryavanshi was dropped at the start of the fifth over at backward point with Niazai shelling a simple catch. He made them pay by thrashing Zadran for a four and six in the sixth over and then tonking Aziz for three fours and a six to rack up a fifty off 24 balls as India reached 73 for 0 after seven.
George was dropped at mid-on but soon put that behind him, smashing boundaries with a minimum of fuss. His impeccable drives and impenetrable defence made his innings a treat to watch. The bouncer once again consumed Sooryavanshi, but Mhatre ensured none of the momentum was lost. He’s not had the best of tournaments, but was at his best when it mattered.
Mhatre’s first two scoring shots were sixes and he followed that up with a four. George, meanwhile, reached his fifty off 52 balls and Mhatre soon followed suit, bringing his up in 43.
India reached their 200 in the 25th over and even when Mhatre fell, thanks to a superb catch from Osman Sadat, George carried on. He reached his century off 94 balls with a crisp flick past mid-on. While he fell with his team just 11 short, he had more than done his job with India reaching the target in just 41.1 overs.
Earlier, Afghanistan started solidly with Sadat flicking RS Ambrish through midwicket first ball for four. On what was a belter of a surface at Harare, the two openers, Sadat and Khalid Ahmadzai, kept the scoreboard ticking. Ahmadzai got his first boundary with a glorious cover drive off Henil Patel before pulling Ambrish through midwicket. He ended the powerplay in style, depositing Henil over long-on with Afghanistan 42 for 0 after ten.
India finally struck in the 13th over, with Deepesh Devendran sending back Ahmadzai for 31. It was a full-length ball outside off that decked into Ahmadzai, catching his inside-edge through to the wicketkeeper. Shinozada, fresh off a 163 against Ireland, started solidly clipping Deepesh through midwicket twice in three balls. Afghanistan also got five penalty runs at the end of the 17th over when the ball went through wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu’s leg and hit the helmet.
Afghanistan reached their 100 in the 22nd over, with Shinozada and Sadat adding 64 runs for the second wicket before the latter gave it away. In what was a needless attempt to clear the ropes, he only managed to smash offspinner Kanishk Chouhan straight down long-off’s throat.
Just when it seemed a couple of wickets would derail Afghanistan’s innings, Shinozada and Niazai shut the door on the Indian bowlers. The two timed their innings brilliantly. Shinozada brought out the ramps and the reverse sweeps, reaching his fifty off 49 balls. Niazai, meanwhile, got his first four with a thick outside edge past the only slip.
While the scoreboard was ticking along, both batters were content with rotating the strike. While Shinozada still managed to get the odd boundaries away, Niazai maintained a strike around the 50 mark for the first 30 balls. At 199 for 2 after 40, Shinozada moved into the 90s by scooping Deepesh before Niazai broke free by bludgeoning Deepesh over covers.
Shinozada reached his second straight century by tucking Henil to the left long-on. He brought out the Siuuu celebration after reaching his ton and soon after, both batters broke loose. Niazai smashed Ambrish for a six and three fours in the 44th, an over that brought Afghanistan 21. Niazai also reached his fifty in the process off 63 balls.
While Shinozada was bowled by Deepesh for 110, Niazai continued on his merry way. He reached his century off 85 balls in the final over as Afghanistan reached the 300 mark. Afghanistan amassed 111 runs in the last ten overs. At the time, it looked like a solid score, but as it turns out, they were well short.
Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
