Rohit Sharma press conference | IND vs AFG - ICC T20 WC 2021 | Rohit Sharma Thug life | Rahul Dravid HD

Virat Kohli’s side entered the match knowing the side needed three victories from their remaining matches to stand any chance of making the last four following back-to-back defeats. An excellent opening partnership of 140 between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul laid the foundations and then Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya provided the late fireworks, adding 63 in just 21 balls to take India to 210 for two, the highest score of the tournament so far. Afghanistan’s attack badly missed the injured Mujeeb Ur Rahman and the loss of both openers inside four overs quickly left them playing catch-up in reply. Karim Janat (42 not out) and Mohammad Nabi (35) provided cameos but Mohammed Shami (three for 32) and the returning Ravi Ashwin (two for 14) helped India see out a comfortable and morale-boosting win. Having been restricted to 110 for seven by New Zealand on Sunday, India were eager for a strong start when inserted at the toss and their experienced openers provided it. Rohit ended the opening over in style, lofting Gulbadin Naib for four over mid-off, and Rahul provided his own statement of intent five balls later by smashing Sharafuddin Ashraf over long-on for the first six of the innings. Another followed in a costly fifth over, which ended with India on 52 without loss after Rohit cleared the ropes over long-off before driving through cover for four more. Afghanistan’s attack temporarily stemmed the tide as the opening pair rotated the strike, with no boundaries for 20 balls, but Rahul ended the mini drought and soon swept Rashid Khan behind square as the scoreboard continued to motor. Rohit won the race to his half century, getting there in 37 balls, and a savage pull for six by his partner brought up the pair’s fourth T20I century stand later in the 12th over. Rahul was raising his bat at the start of the 13th after reaching his half century in two fewer balls than Rohit, who took the attack to Rashid and slammed successive sixes shortly afterwards. Pant was promoted to number three to continue the attack and having survived reviews from consecutive Rashid deliveries, he made the most of his reprieves by carting Gulbadin for huge back-to-back maximums to hand India back their momentum after the seamer had cleaned up Rahul earlier in the over. Pandya also took advantage of a let-off, thumping two sixes off the unfortunate Naveen after a routine chance had been put down by Najibullah Zadran coming round from long-off, and another mighty blow from Pant took India past 200 in the final over to leave Afghanistan with a mountain to climb. Knowing he had to put his foot down from the outset, Hazratullah Zazai got the chase up and running by taking on India’s dangerous new ball pair, cutting Mohammed Shami for four before lofting Jasprit Bumrah over the deep mid-wicket boundary. Neither took long to hit back, however, as both openers fell in successive deliveries. Shami induced a leading edge to see the back of Mohammad Shahzad for a four-ball du