After crashing out of the Asia Cup 2022, both India and Afghanistan went head to head for a game of honour. Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl first as is quite the norm these days and asked India to put runs on the board.
The Men in Blue started off with three changes to the team. The Indian captain Rohit Sharma decided to rest himself along with Yuzvendra Chahal and Hardik Pandya. Dinesh Karthik, Deepak Chahar, and Axar Patel came into the team for one last practice.
Meanwhile, KL Rahul shouldered the captaincy role for this match and came to open with Virat Kohli. The 33-year-old, having hit two half-centuries looked good from the word get go and both rose to a first wicket partnership of 119 runs.
Kohli remained on song even after Rahul departed, having made 62 on 41 runs. Kohli, however, pulled every shot from his arsenal as he came up with his 71st century and broke the curse that has been troubling him for more than 1000 days.
The former India captain hit 122 runs in just 61 balls with 12 boundaries and six massive sixes. On the back of Kohli's sensational century, India put 212 runs on the board. Coming onto chase a massive total, Afghanistan got off to a poor start with the first wicket falling in the very first over. It began a collapse as the Afghanistan team lingered at 111/8 when the 20 overs ended.
None of the batters could play India's deadly bowling attack apart from Ibrahim Zadran, who remained not out at 64 runs off of 59 deliveries. In the end, India won the match by a massive 101 runs and went out of the Asia Cup on a high.
Let's look at how Twitter reacted to India's win but more so to Kohli's 71st Century:ย
India beat Afghanistan in the Asia Cup. But this match will be remembered for only Virat Kohli's 71 Hundred. This is King Kohli's match.
โ CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) September 8, 2022
This match is complete with Karthik bowling. Make KL Rahul smile now so we get near a perfect day.
โ Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) September 8, 2022
A massive win for India in Dubai ๐๐ป#AsiaCup2022 | #INDvAFG | Scorecard: https://t.co/z8iw8dn85Q pic.twitter.com/rdigrI6H5V
โ ICC (@ICC) September 8, 2022
And that graph reached its peak tonight ๐๐ผ๐๐ผ๐๐ผ https://t.co/kqs2Xto5vT
โ Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) September 8, 2022
He is The Only One..The Super One ๐ฅ #KingKohli #ViratKohli๐ต
71st ๐ฏ For @imVkohli โค๏ธ#KingKohliTheGreatestEver pic.twitter.com/5aOf9rt3YO
โ SriLanka Cricket Fans ๐ฑ๐ฐ (@SLCFansClub) September 8, 2022
India might not have won the Asia Cup but the form of Virat Kohli is the biggest positive for the World Cup.
โ Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 8, 2022
Wow, brilliant
But sadly this has been a match for record books to be written in a dead rubber. https://t.co/EoWBLkSk02โ Mohit Jain (@MohitSM18) September 8, 2022
@imVkohli...grt to see u in form pic.twitter.com/TAbzHTQRxx
โ Surya Munjal (@SMunjal09) September 8, 2022
Congratulations India for this brilliant Win...๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ณ
But Well played Afghan Boys...โค๏ธ
You won our hearts throughout the tournament...Loved your performance...๐ฅ๐ฅ @ACBofficials
Respect+++
๐ฎ๐ณ๐ค๐ฆ๐ซ#INDvsAFG #AFGvIND #ViratKohli๐ตโ Anmol (@anmolmagotra7) September 8, 2022
The best player on the planet is back @imVkohli #GOAT๐ต
โ Imad Wasim (@simadwasim) September 8, 2022
Entire twitter today !!! #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/XaX0j364dr
โ I.P.S๐๏ธ (@Plant_Warrior) September 8, 2022