KARACHI: India beat Afghanistan by 66 runs to win their first match in T20 World Cup 2021. It wasn’t just a match for India but possibly a gateway to cement their hope for semi-finals qualification in the mega event.
India first lost to Pakistan by 10 wickets and then to New Zealand by eight wickets. The back-to-back defeats put ‘pre-tournament favorites’ in deep trouble moving forward. They had to win their contest against Afghanistan to keep their fans’ hopes alive for knock-out stage qualification and they did so.
But, due to Afghanistan’s sloppy fielding, lose bowling, and reckless batting against India put cricket fans across the world thinking if there was something wrong with a team that did a good job in their previous matches, winning two out of three matches to settle at the second position on the points table.
Here’s how fans on social media described Afghanistan vs India match:
#wellpaidindia pic.twitter.com/i2VBDPU74N
— Kamran Malik (@KamranM70717715) November 3, 2021
The only way with @BCCI
Cc. @ICC#WellPaidIndia #NamakHaram #Shame. pic.twitter.com/61Cir45lkr— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanRaiz) November 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/sameerch66/status/1456129427839098885
#WellPaidIndia
Well Paid pic.twitter.com/A5d2j6BwWe— Aliraza (@Aliraza30010129) November 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/utpk07/status/1456113150684770306
BCCI is Fixer. #WellPaidIndia #fixed pic.twitter.com/voihPFzSRi
— Asim Sheikh (@AsimSheikh11) November 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/_Muffin_22/status/1455981880315109383
Everyone knows it,s a fixed match & well paid India#INDvsAFG #fixed #WellPaidIndia pic.twitter.com/xMt6DMd8Q8
— miLyas2942 (@mIlyas2942) November 3, 2021
#WellPaidIndia.!
Ohh Sorry
i Mean Well Played pic.twitter.com/AE34EgFlh5— Usama Mashwani (@UsamaMashwani1) November 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/mr_5aim/status/1456138521668956162
Well PAID India __________Afghan Team Showing Their Character ….Pity You #WELLPAIDINDIA#fixerkings pic.twitter.com/CbaUna30HK
— MaLiCk ساقی (@SaqibAf10307095) November 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/mahd648/status/1455965949199327234
India will now highly depend on New Zealand vs Afghanistan contest. If Afghanistan beat New Zealand and India win their last two matches with a good run rate, the Blue Shirts will have a chance to qualify for the semis. Afghanistan also have a chance to qualify for the knock-out stage.