Suryakumar Yadav‘s flamboyant 53-run knock against Afghanistan, helped India recover from a shaky start and eventually secure a 47-run victory in Barbados. Afghanistan struggled to keep up with the required run rate and were bowled out for 134 on the final delivery. Jasprit Bumrah was exceptional, claiming three wickets for just seven runs in his four overs.

For this match, the Indian team opted for a different lineup. They went with just two pacers – Bumrah and Arshdeep – while playing three spinners in the form of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja.

Jasprit Bumrah struck early blows against Afghanistan, dismissing both openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (11) and Hazratullah Zazai (2). Axar further compounded Afghanistan’s troubles by removing Ibrahim Zadran for 8 and Afghanistan were reeling at 23-3 after 4.1 overs.

Despite a 44-run fourth-wicket partnership between Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai off 38 balls, India’s spinners, led by Ravindra Jadeja’s 1-20 in 3 overs, applied consistent pressure to dismantle Afghanistan’s lower order. The final five wickets fell for just 32 runs in 28 deliveries, allowing India to comfortably cruise to the victory.

Despite India’s dominant win, captain Rohit Sharma stated they are open to making changes to the lineup if the conditions warrant it. When asked if India have settled with the right combination for the West Indies leg, Sharma reiterated that the team selected for the Thursday match was tailored specifically for the Barbados pitch.

“We’ve got to analyse the conditions and competitors, and we are prepared to make adjustments if needed. We’ll go with seamers the next time according to the conditions. I felt that three spinners operated well here,” stated Sharma.

India alongside South Africa and Australia are the three teams who are undefeated in the tournament. In their next game, India will take on Bangladesh in St. Lucia on June 24.