SOUTHAMPTON: Mohammed Shami (4/40) grabbed a magical hat-trick as India scripted a 11-run last-over win over Afghanistan in a thrilling World Cup clash here on Saturday.

Chasing 225 for victory, Afghanistan needed 16 runs in six balls riding Mohammad Nabi”s valiant 52 off 55 balls and including four boundaries and a sixer.

Nabi smacked Shami for a four to bring the equation down to 12 off 5, and then refused a single to keep the strike.

But in the next three balls, Shami had Nabi caught by Hardik Pandya at long on and then castled Aftab Alam and Mujeeb ur Rahman in successive deliveries to grab a hat-trick and hand India their fourth victory in five matches.

Shami became India”s only second bowler to bag a hat-trick in a World Cup since Chetan Sharma in the 1987 edition.

(Agencies)