England captain Eoin Morgan clobbered 148 from 71 balls including a Cricket World Cup-record 17 sixes against Afghanistan on Tuesday.
Morgan went to the crease in the 30th over at 164-2 and raised the total to 359 before his explosive innings ended with a catch on the boundary in the 47th over.
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England captain Eoin Morgan clobbered 148 from 71 balls including a Cricket World Cup-record 17 sixes against Afghanistan on Tuesday.
Morgan, who had been a doubtful starter because of back spasms, raised his half century from 36 balls with his fifth of the innings off Mohammad Nabi in the 39th over, and reached his century from 57 balls.
Some fielding errors cost Afghanistan dearly. None more than the dropped catch when Morgan was on 28 and pulled Rashid Khan out to deep midwicket, where Dawlat Zadran got one hand to the ball before it trickled to the boundary.
Morgan drove two sixes into the upper deck of the broadcasting box straight down the ground, and one clattered so heavily into the stand that the leather ball had to be replaced.
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Afghanistan's captain Gulbadin Naib celebrates the dismissal of England's Jonny Bairstow during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
England's Jonny Bairstow bats during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
England finished with a flourish to post 397-6, including a record 25 sixes for a one-day international.
England's captain Eoin Morgan raises his bat and helmet to celebrate scoring a century during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
Morgan, who had been a doubtful starter because of back spasms, raised his half century from 36 balls with his fifth of the innings off Mohammad Nabi in the 39th over, and reached his century from 57 balls.
He beat Chris Gayle's record of 16 sixes in an ODI for the West Indies against Zimbabwe in the 2015 World Cup, when he flat-batted Gulbadin Naib straight down the ground, but was caught in the deep on the next delivery from his opposing captain.
Morgan dominated a 189-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root, who was 45 when his skipper arrived at the crease and was eventually out for 88 from 82 deliveries.
England's captain Eoin Morgan bats during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
Some fielding errors cost Afghanistan dearly. None more than the dropped catch when Morgan was on 28 and pulled Rashid Khan out to deep midwicket, where Dawlat Zadran got one hand to the ball before it trickled to the boundary.
Morgan hit two more sixes in the over, and barely seemed to stop clearing the boundary in a game involving the tournament's highest and lowest-ranked teams
He took 22 off one over against Rashid and generally dismantled Afghanistan's best bowler, who conceded the worst ever figures in a World Cup of 9-0-110-0.
Afghanistan's captain Gulbadin Naib, center, and teammate Najibullah Zadran, left, attempt to run-out England's captain Eoin Morgan, right, during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
Morgan drove two sixes into the upper deck of the broadcasting box straight down the ground, and one clattered so heavily into the stand that the leather ball had to be replaced.
Morgan and Jason Roy didn't bat last week in the eight-wicket win over West Indies because of injuries, with the skipper leaving the field with spasms and the opening batsman going off after tearing his left hamstring. Morgan recovered but Roy was ruled out of the two games this week.
Roy's replacement, James Vince, scored 26 in a 44-run opening stand with Jonny Bairstow, who contributed 90 from 99 balls in a 120-run second-wicket stand with Root before he was caught-and-bowled by Afghanistan captain Gulbadin in the 30th over.
Afghanistan's captain Gulbadin Naib, left, shares a light moment with England's captain Eoin Morgan after an unsuccessful run-out attempt during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
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England's Joe Root bats during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
Afghanistan's captain Gulbadin Naib celebrates the dismissal of England's Jonny Bairstow during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)
England's Jonny Bairstow bats during the Cricket World Cup match between England and Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, Tuesday, June 18, 2019. (AP PhotoRui Vieira)