The China Mail - Suryakumar hits half-century as India make 181-8 against Afghanistan

The 33-year-old cracked his 19th fifty in the format while Afghanistan captain and leg-spinner Rashid Khan and fast bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi claimed three wickets each.

Suryakumar made 53 from 28 balls with five fours and three sixes and shared a 60-run fifth-wicket partnership with Hardik Pandya.

Farooqi struck first for Afghanistan by having India skipper Rohit Sharma caught by Rashid for just eight.

It was the 23-year-old Farooqi's 50th career T20 international wicket.

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant put on 43 for the second wicket with Pant hitting three successive boundaries off Mohammad Nabi.

His 11-ball cameo had yielded 20 runs when he was lbw to Rashid attempting an ill-judged reverse sweep.

That left India on 54-2 before Rashid struck again in his next over, claiming the prestige scalp of Kohli who was caught by Nabi at long-off for 24 off 24 balls.

Kohli had at least made it to double figures after a miserable run of just five runs in his first three matches at the tournament.

At the halfway point India were 79-3. Rashid was hit for a boundary and a six in the 11th over by Suryakumar Kumar.

But the leg-spinner was soon celebrating his third wicket when he had Shivam Dube trapped lbw for 10. Rashid finished with impressive figures of 3-26.

Suryakumar and Pandya threatened to take the game away from Afghanistan.

But Farooqi dismissed Suryakumar in the 17th over before Pandya, who made 32 from 24 balls with three fours and two sixes, fell to Naveen-ul-Haq off the last ball of the 18th over.

Farooqi also sent back Ravindra Jadeja to finish with 3-33 and take his tournament total to 15 wickets.

H.Au--ThChM