'Don't sweep me, he says' - Ravi Shastri decodes Suryakumar Yadav-Rashid Khan banter during Super Eights clash

The Indian cricket team began their T20 World Cup 2024's Super Eights campaign with a convincing win over Afghanistan on Thursday, June 20. Despite facing challenges, India managed to secure victory with an all-around performance. While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had a quiet outing, Suryakumar Yadav shone with a fine half-century, ably supported by Hardik Pandya.

With the ball, Jasprit Bumrah was exceptional, aptly backed by Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav. Bumrah's fiery spell included the crucial wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who had started aggressively. Gurbaz was caught behind by Rishabh Pant off Bumrah for just 11, leaving Afghanistan at 13/1 in 1.2 overs.

Afghanistan's Rashid Khan was their standout performer, taking three wickets, including the prized scalps of Kohli, Pant, and Shivam Dube. His spell put pressure on the Indian batters, but Suryakumar Yadav managed to hit some boundaries off him. The on-air commentator Ravi Shastri noted an amusing exchange between Rashid and Suryakumar - “Stop sweeping me, he (Rashid) says.”

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In their chase of 182, Afghanistan started well but struggled to build momentum. At the halfway mark, they were 66/3, with Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai trying to steady the ship. However, Indian spinners turned the game around. Kuldeep Yadav removed Naib for 17, and Jadeja dismissed Omarzai for 26, reducing Afghanistan to 71/5 in 11.1 overs.

Bumrah and Arshdeep were the top bowlers for India, with the former finishing with figures of 3/7 and the latter with 3/36. Kuldeep, Axar, and Jadeja also contributed with crucial wickets.

Earlier, Suryakumar Yadav's half-century and a 60-run partnership with Hardik Pandya helped India post a total of 181/8 in their 20 overs. This gave India a solid foundation to defend, and they did so successfully.

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India's next matches are against Bangladesh on June 22 and Australia on June 24. Performing well in these games is crucial for securing a spot in the knockouts. The Men in Blue's strong start in the Super 8s has set a positive tone for their campaign, and they will be confident of putting up similar performances in upcoming games.