NEW DELHI, Oct  11, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday

surpassed compatriot Sachin Tendulkar with a record seventh World Cup century
to lead India to a crushing eight-wicket win over Afghanistan.

Chasing 273 for victory in New Delhi, the hosts rode on Rohit's 131 to
achieve their target in 35 overs for a second straight win in the 50-over
showpiece event.

He brought the nearly packed house to its feet with his century off 63
balls to go past Tendulkar's record of six tons in World Cups.

Rohit's century was also the fastest by an Indian in a World Cup, quicker
than Kapil Dev's hundred in 72 balls against Zimbabwe in 1983.

Rohit hit the ball to all parts of the ground as he reached 1,000 World Cup
runs and then went past Chris Gayle's record of 553 sixes across all formats.

The dashing opener hit 16 fours and five sixes in his 84-ball knock before
being bowled by leg-spinner Rashid Khan.

His opening partnership of 156 with the left-handed Ishan Kishan, who made
47, extended the team's dominance after a good bowling show on a
batting-friendly pitch.

Superstar cricketer and Delhi-born Virat Kohli soon took over to hit an
unbeaten 55 and finished the match with a boundary.

Afghanistan posted 272-8 after electing to bat at the ground which
witnessed a World Cup record 754 runs scored in the previous match when South
Africa posted 428 and defeated Sri Lanka.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah stood out for the home side with his best
World Cup bowling figures of 4-39.

Afghanistan slipped to 63-3 before skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (80) and
Azmatullah Omarzai (62) put on 121 runs to help Afghanistan recover.

Bumrah got Ibrahim Zadran caught behind for 22 and celebrated by pointing
to his temple.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, on 21, and Rahmat Shah, on 16, fell in the space of
four balls with Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur taking the wickets.

Shahidi, a left-hand batsman, and Omarzai then rebuilt the innings in a
century stand, prompting Rohit to rotate his bowlers.

Omarzai reached his second ODI fifty and soon Shahidi smashed Pandya for
four to bring up his half-century and followed it up with a six.

Omarzai, who hit two fours and four sixes in his 69-ball knock, also
attacked but was bowled by Pandya.

Shahidi kept up the attack with regular boundaries but fell lbw to Kuldeep
Yadav in his attempt to reverse sweep the left-arm wrist spinner.

Bumrah struck twice including Rashid to keep Afghanistan down on a
run-filled wicket.

The Afghans lost their opening match to Bangladesh while tournament
favourites India began with a victory over five-time winners Australia.