England skipper Eoin Morgan was on Tuesday adjudged Man of the Match after he smashed a magnificent knock of 148 runs to help the hosts thrash minnows Afghanistan by 150 runs in their fifth match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Opting to bat first, Eoin Morgan stitched a huge 189-run partnership with Joe Root (88) for the third wicket to help his side post a mammoth total of 397 for six in their stipulated 50 overs which was England's highest-ever score in a World Cup match. Bairstow's 99-ball 90 was another notable score for England. (Full Scorecard: ICC World Cup 2019, England vs Afghanistan)
En route to Morgan's blistering knock laced with four boundaries and 17 sixes, Morgan also brought up the fourth fastest World Cup century off just 57 balls. While he also scripted the world record of most sixes by a batsman in an ODI inning, Morgan's partnership with Root was the highest partnership of England in the World Cup.
While picking up Player of the Match award, Morgan said that he didn't think that he would be able to produce an innings like that as he was hobbling around with a bad back.
"Today was a fantastic day for us, and I managed to have a day out, which was great,. The wicket was good, we bowled well in the first ten overs, our openers batted really. A good day all round. I didn't think it was going to be my day. Hobbling around with a bad back, didn't think I'd produce an innings like that. Makes it a bit more special when i can compete with the youngsters in the side," ESPNcricinfo quoted Morgan as saying.
"It was nice. It started out as a tough game, Afghanistan are a side with potential, so it's nice to do it on the big stage. I think I have changed, everybody plays the shots I started my career with, so that they're not as effective. I'm probably stronger down the ground now than I ever have been. [Back okay now?] Yeah, tomorrow's going to be a rough day," he added.
Chasing a record target, Hashmatullah Shahidi (76), Rahmat Shah (46) and Asghar Afghan (44) came up with decent batting performance, but England also displayed splendid show with the ball to restrict Afghanistan to a score of 247/8 in their stipulated 50 overs.
Overall, Morgan has amassed a total of 7,078 runs in 226 ODIs he has played for England at an average of 39.5 and a strike rate of 90.4.
