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June 22, 2019, produced one of the most dramatic matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup. At Southampton, an Indian side that had appeared untouchable in the early stages of the tournament was pushed to the limit by Afghanistan before Mohammed Shami’s remarkable hat-trick secured an 11-run victory. What had begun as a routine assignment for one of the title favourites ended as a tense contest that remained undecided until the final delivery.
India entered the match unbeaten and full of confidence. Victories over South Africa, Australia and Pakistan had reinforced their status as one of the strongest teams in the competition. Afghanistan, meanwhile, had lost all four of their previous matches and were widely viewed as outsiders. Few expected them to seriously challenge a side packed with experience and world-class talent.
Batting first after winning the toss, India never found the fluency that had characterised their earlier performances. The pitch at Southampton was slower than anticipated, offering assistance to disciplined bowlers and making strokeplay difficult. Afghanistan recognised the conditions quickly and produced one of their finest bowling displays in major tournament cricket.
Rohit Sharma gave India a positive start with 52, but wickets at regular intervals prevented the innings from gathering momentum. Afghanistan’s spinners, led by Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, consistently applied pressure through the middle overs. Virat Kohli contributed 67 from 63 balls, an innings that provided stability but not complete control. Despite his efforts, India were restricted to 224 for 8 from their 50 overs, a total that appeared vulnerable on a surface where scoring remained challenging but not impossible.
Nabi played a central role in Afghanistan’s effort with the ball. His ten overs yielded two important wickets while maintaining tight control of the scoring rate. More importantly, his contribution ensured that India entered the second innings with far less than they would have expected after choosing to bat first. Afghanistan left the field convinced they had an opportunity.
India’s bowlers responded impressively in the chase. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami struck early blows, while Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav ensured that Afghanistan never settled into a comfortable rhythm. Yet despite losing wickets regularly, Afghanistan refused to fade away. Every time India appeared to gain complete control, another partnership emerged to keep the target within reach.
The resistance was led by Mohammad Nabi. Combining experience with composure, he played one of the finest innings of his career under immense pressure. His 52 from 55 deliveries transformed the contest. Nabi balanced caution and aggression expertly, keeping Afghanistan alive while steadily reducing the required equation. As the innings entered its closing stages, India suddenly found themselves facing the possibility of a major upset.
The decisive moment arrived in the final two overs. With Afghanistan still in contention, Bumrah delivered a masterclass in death bowling. His penultimate over conceded only five runs, increasing the pressure dramatically and leaving Afghanistan needing 16 from the final over. Even then, the outcome remained uncertain.
Shami was handed responsibility for the last six deliveries. After conceding a boundary from the opening ball of the over, he responded magnificently. Nabi was dismissed attempting another big shot, shifting the momentum back towards India. What followed entered World Cup history. Aftab Alam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman both fell from the next two deliveries, completing Shami’s hat-trick and ending Afghanistan’s brave challenge.
India escaped with an 11-run victory, but the match served as a reminder that World Cup success is rarely straightforward. Afghanistan had exposed vulnerabilities that stronger opponents would later seek to exploit. For India, however, the day belonged to Shami. His hat-trick, the second by an Indian in World Cup history, transformed a looming shock into a memorable victory and preserved his team’s unbeaten start to the tournament.
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