-England defeated Afghanistan by 150 runs
-England 397 for 6; Afghanistan 247 for 8
-England move to the top of the points table
High-flying England breezed past Afghanistan in match number 24 of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2019. The hosts rode on a brilliant six-hitting display by skipper Eoin Morgan (148) to post 397/6 at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Afghanistan were always going to lack the impetus in this mammoth chase.
How did the match pan out?
England got off to a strong start as Bairstow and Root added 120 runs for the second wicket.
From there on the six-hitting carnage flowed out from Morgan’s bat. Afghans picked up some wickets at the death, but Moeen Ali (31*) provided more impetus.
In reply, Afghans lost Noor Ali Zadran (0) at the start. From there on it was just catch up.
England smash their highest World Cup score
This was England’s fourth score of 300-plus in the 2019 World Cup. It was also their 10th score of 300-plus in ODIs this year. England registered the sixth highest team total in World Cup history. This was England’s 12th score of 300-plus in the World Cup.
England’s 397/6 is now the highest score in CWC 19.
Morgan and England smash world records for most sixes
Eoin Morgan slammed 17 sixes in this match. This is the most by any batsman in ODI cricket history. He surpassed a deadly trio featuring Chris Gayle, Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers (16 sixes each).
England recorded the most number of sixes in an ODI innings (25). They overcame their own record of 24 against West Indies earlier this year.
Brilliant Root continues to pile on the runs
Joe Root (88) slammed his fourth score of fifty-plus in the ongoing World Cup. He is now the second highest run-scorer in CWC19 (367). Root slammed his 32nd career ODI fifty. He became the seventh batsmen to surpass the 700-run mark this year in ODIs (724). Also, Root smashed his third ODI fifty in 2019.
Morgan smashed fastest World Cup ton by an England batsman
Morgan slammed his century in just 57 balls against Afghanistan. With this tally, he broke the record for the fastest century by an England batsman in World Cup history.
It was the fourth fastest century in World Cup cricket as well. Morgan’s 57-ball century was the fifth fastest by an England batsman in ODIs.
A day to forget for Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan would not want to remember the 10 overs he bowled to England by him even in his worst of dreams.
The bowler leaked 110 runs in the spell of 10 overs which is the third most conceded runs in an ODI match after Mick Lewis and Wahab Riaz.
DKODING Verdict
Quick Gun Morgan and England were completely ruthless and dominated Afghanistan and bewared other teams of their tag of the ‘favourites’.
