India hammer Afghanistan as Virat and Bhuvi run riot

Well, there was a point in time when it felt that the tournament was deprived of all its joy for the Men in Blue and yet somehow, Team India managed to find a way and it probably was the most joyful of all, as Virat Kohli ended his three-year long drought, smashing his 71st century.

In a show of utter dominion, India razed through the Afghans, thanks to an utterly rampant display, which left their soaring counterparts with a bitter taste after a successful tournament where El Presidente's men punched heroically above their weight.

Mohammad Nabi won the toss and opted to bowl first, hoping to exploit the surface to its fullest extent. There was some roughness on the track that produced some early drift. A new opening pair was formed between Virat Kohli and KL Rahul and the duo started cruising in no time. Rahul was the first to hit the accelerator while Kohli banged the paddle late. The duo stitched together 94 runs before Rahul fell to Fareed Ahmad. Yadav started with a maximum but played the cherry down to his stumps as Ahmad's decent run in the tournament continued.

Rishabh Pant weathered the early storm while Kohli was binding his time. Fast forward the clock by a couple of overs and the world stayed witness to the return of the best. A string of exotic pulls, hooks, drives, and launches rained boundaries in Dubai while with every passing ball, Virat's eyes glistened further. The stadium stood up, breathed in, and screamed their lungs out as the eternal wait ended with Kohli pulling a whacker that flew beyond the ropes.

It was God coming alive in that smile where Virat unraveled his helmet, raised his arms, and celebrated his 71st international century and his maiden T20I ton with a smile that was long lost in lore and fables. India amassed 212 on the cards, thanks to Virat's unbeaten 122 and Pant's uncharacteristic anchoring knock at the other end; well, they say the king can make things happen that otherwise is just a fantasy.

Even before Afghanistan realized what had hit them, they lost half their side as Bhuvneshwar Kumar activated his phenom mode, razing through the Afghan pecking order like a fireball through skittles. He claimed a fifer, bowling out his quota in the first seven overs, leaving Afghanistan rattled to the core. They couldn't recover from the early blows and the damage was too colossal to rack up something significant.

India finished their Asia Cup campaign with their second highest win in T20Is, reigning supreme over a hapless Afghanistan, as two of India's most seasoned campaigners stamped their authority in the boldest of colors.