Team India pulled off a rather dominating win over Afghanistan in their first game of the Super Eight stage of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 at Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 20. The Men in Blue showcased their all-around brilliance, with Ravindra Jadeja’s exceptional fielding performance helping him earn the best fielder medal.
Post-match, attention turned to the Indian dressing room for the customary best fielder medal ceremony. Departing from the norm of having special guests present the award, head coach Rahul Dravid personally honoured Jadeja with the medal. Jadeja’s outstanding performance included three crucial catches, which significantly outshined his teammates.
Upon receiving the medal, Jadeja playfully lifted Dravid and shared a light-hearted moment with Mohammed Siraj, humorously calling him his inspiration and the best fielder ever. “This medal is very important, I am very happy to get this medal today, and especially I am very inspired by Mohammed Siraj, who is the best fielder, thank you, Siraj, Cheers,” Jadeja said in a video posted by the BCCI.
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Rohit Sharma won the toss and he had no hesitation in deciding to bat first on a pitch that seemed assisting for both batters and spinners. Both teams made changes to their line-ups, with India bringing in Kuldeep Yadav for Mohammed Siraj, while Afghanistan replaced Karim Janat with Hazratullah Zazai.
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India’s innings began on a shaky note with the early dismissal of their skipper. However, Suryakumar Yadav’s explosive 53 off 28 balls, supported by Hardik Pandya’s solid 32 off 24, propelled India to a competitive total of 181/8. Afghanistan’s bowling attack, led by their skipper Rashid Khan (3/26) and Fazalhaq Farooqi (3/33), posed significant challenges throughout the innings.
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In response, Afghanistan’s chase never gained momentum despite their initial aggression. Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional bowling performance (3/7 in 4 overs) dismantled the Afghan batting line-up. The Indian bowlers maintained pressure throughout, with Arshdeep Singh (3/36), Kuldeep Yadav (2/32), and Jadeja (1/20) contributing effectively to bowl out Afghanistan for 134 in 20 overs.
India’s all-round performance ensured a commanding victory, setting a strong tone for their Super Eights campaign in the T20 World Cup 2024.
