In the latest edition of The Final Word, cricket writers Adam Collins and Daniel Norcross discuss India's victory over Afghanistan in Rose Bowl. They also nominate their player of the day and one moment or person or incident to go into The Final Word Hall of Fame.
Day 24 at the World Cup: India’s Mohammed Shami claimed a sensational final-over hat-trick as Afghanistan just missed out on major World Cup upset on Saturday. A day after Sri Lanka stunned England in Leeds, an even bigger upset looked on the cards only for India to sneak home by 11 runs after strike bowler Shami’s last-gasp heroics.
Afghanistan made the most of a slow wicket to restrict India to 224-8, their lowest total of the tournament, but then struggled themselves. Needing 16 to win off the last six balls with three wickets remaining, they were all out for 213, slumping to their sixth successive defeat.
Shami dismissed Mohammad Nabi, who top-scored for the Afghans with 52, Aftab Alam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to complete his hat-trick.
“Shami was really good today. He was making the ball move more than anybody,” India captain Virat Kohli said of the quick, who was playing his first match of the tournament.
“This game was way more important for us, because things didn’t go as planned. That’s when you need to show character and bounce back.”
Meanwhile in another match on Saturday, New Zealand moved to the brink of the World Cup semi-finals with a thrilling five-run victory over West Indies after Carlos Brathwaite’s magnificent century almost produced a highly unlikely comeback win for the Caribbean side.
Needing six to win off seven balls at Old Trafford, Brathwaite attempted to grab glory with one shot but his heave over mid-on was caught by Trent Boult just inside the boundary rope, to the delight of the Kiwis and the despair of Jason Holder’s team.
While Geoff Lemon had to run out of Southampton to attend a Billy Joel concert, Sam Collins is joined by BBC Test Match Special's Daniel Norcross as they discuss India's thrilling victory over Afghanistan. They also nominate their player of the day, who will probably not be the official man of the match, and will pick one moment or person or incident to go into The Final Word Hall of Fame, with an overall winner to come at the end of the tournament.
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