T20 World Cup 2021: India beat Afghanistan: How can Virat Kohli-led Team India qualify for Semi Final

Knowing
they
needed
three
victories
from
their
remaining
matches
to
stand
any
chance
of
making
the
last
four
following
back-to-back
defeats,
Virat
Kohli
and
company
put
up
an
excellent
display
in
every
department.

A
record
opening
partnership
of
140
between
Rohit
Sharma
and
KL
Rahul
laid
the
foundation
for
the
Indians
before
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.

In
response,
Afghanistan
could
only
post
144
for
the
loss
of
seven
wickets
in
the
run
chase
of
211
and
fell
66
runs
short
of
India’s
first
innings
total.

Karim
Janat
(42
not
out)
and
Mohammad
Nabi
(35)
provided
cameos
but
Mohammed
Shami
(2/32)
and
the
returning
Ravichandran
Ashwin
(2/14)
helped
India
see
out
a
comfortable
and
much-needed
win.

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.
It
was
Mumbaikar’s
23rd
fifty-plus
score
in
the
shortest
format.

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.

Meanwhile
during
the
game,
former
India
captain
Rahul
Dravid
was
confirmed
as
India’s
next
head
coach
while
the
team
went
about
cruising
to
a
victory
that
boosted
their
net
run-rate
to
+0.073,
but
New
Zealand
are
favourites
to
qualify
from
Group
2
alongside
Pakistan.

Pakistan
are
almost
through
to
the
semi-finals
with
four
consecutive
wins
in
Group
2
of
Super
12.
The
Babar
Azam-led
side
is
set
to
finish
Group
2
as
the
top-ranked
side.

That
leaves
the
second
spot
and
Kane
Williamson-led
New
Zealand
look
firm
favourites
to
finish
second.
The
Blackcaps
currently
have
four
points
in
three
games
(two
wins
–
vs
India
and
Scotland
–
and
one
defeat
–
vs
Pakistan)
and
they
next
face
Namibia
and
Afghanistan.

Here’s
how
Team
India
could
still
qualify
for
the
semi-finals:

For
India
to
make
it
to
the
semi-finals,
they
will
have
to
win
their
remaining
matches
against
Scotland
and
Namibia.
That
will
help
Kohli
&
his
side
to
pick
up
6
points
from
5
games.
Wins
in
the
remaining
Super
12
encounters
will
also
ensure
Indians
will
have
a
positive
net
run
rate
and
that
will
come
into
play
if
two
teams
end
tied
at
the
end
round-robin
stage.

India
will
also
have
to
pin
hopes
on
Afghanistan
for
the
fate
of
Nabi
and
his
company’s
game
against
New
Zealand
on
November
7
will
also
decide
the
future
of
the
Indians.

If
Afghanistan
defeat
New
Zealand
in
their
final
Super
12
game
then
NZ
will
be
tied
with
six
points
alongside
Afghans
and
India.
The
margin
of
defeat
for
the
Blackcaps
should
also
be
big
for
their
net
run
rate
to
get
spoilt
and
go
down
in
the
points
table.

Therefore,
India’s
future
in
the
showpiece
event
also
rests
on
the
results
of
the
match
between
Afghanistan
and
New
Zealand.