India, New Zealand win their Cricket World Cup matches

Mohammed Shami took a dramatic hat-trick to break Afghan hearts as India narrowly avoided one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history on Saturday, squeaking home by 11 runs against the minnows. 

Afghanistan, playing in only their second World Cup, were in the game throughout, despite losing the toss under sunny skies in Southampton, restricting their mighty opponents to just 224-8 in their 50 overs. 

They were well set at 106-2 in the 29th over and still threatened an upset with 16 needed off the final over. 

Mohammad Nabi drilled the first ball of the final over down the ground for four to strike fear into the hordes of flag-waving India fans. 

But Shami, playing his first game of the World Cup, had Nabi (52) caught at long on by Hardik Pandya two balls later before bowling Aftab Alam and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to seal a nerve-jangling win with a hat-trick. 

"This game was important for us. It didn’t go as planned," said India captain Virat Kohli, whose unbeaten team are now third in the 10-team table, with the top four qualifying for next month’s semi-finals.

"When things don't go your way you need to show character and bounce back. That showed the character of our team. We can take lot of heart from this win and take the confidence forward."

The tide turned in the 29th over of Afghanistan’s innings, when man-of-the-match Jasprit Bumrah removed Rahmat Shah (36) and Hashmatullah Shahidi (21) within the space of three balls.

Nabi and Najibullah Zadran batted sensibly to keep their side in the hunt and Rashid Khan sparkled briefly.

Although the Afghans were falling behind the rate, they kept chipping away but ultimately fell just short and slipped to their sixth straight World Cup defeat.

Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked one-day international bowler, finished with figures of 2-39 from his 10 overs, bowling superbly at the death.

Shami finished with 4-40 as Afghanistan were bowled out for 213.

Frustrated Afghanistan skipper Naib said: "We bowled really well. We did well in batting, but credit to Bumrah for how he bowled in the last two or three overs."

New Zealand hold off Windies

New Zealand's unbeaten Cricket World Cup run went within one shot and meters from being ended in the most improbable way as Carlos Brathwaite blazed away for West Indies. 

Brathwaite hit 101 from 82 balls and combined with the last three batsmen to add 122 runs, getting the West Indies within six runs of a spectacular comeback victory with six balls remaining on Saturday. 

The reward for New Zealand was top spot in the standings, one point above defending champion Australia. 

It very nearly went the other way. 

Brathwaite went for broke, trying to hit the last ball of the 49th over from Jimmy Neesham for six, and was caught on the long-on boundary by Trent Boult. 

It was the second key catch in the deep for Boult, who also caught Chris Gayle and took four wickets as New Zealand bowled out West Indies for 286. 

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson’s 148 and 160-run partnership with Ross Taylor proved pivotal, helping New Zealand rally to 291-8 after losing both openers for first-ball ducks in the first over. 

New Zealand appeared to have the game in hand with West Indies reeling at 164-7 in the 27th over. But in yet another wild momentum swing, Brathwaite’s cameo contained five sixes and nine boundaries and took the match to the wire. 

He sank to his knees when he saw Boult hold the catch in the deep. 

The Old Trafford match started and finished dramatically. 

Sheldon Cottrell gave West Indies the best possible start by removing both openers for first-ball ducks in the first over. 

He trapped Martin Guptill lbw on the first delivery and four balls later had Colin Munro caught behind, the New Zealanders becoming just the second pair of openers removed for first-ball ducks at a World Cup. 

It was a wild first over that produced two wickets, 10 runs including an all-run four, and an injury to West Indian fielder Evin Lewis. 

Williamson and Taylor (69) survived that before combining to revive the innings from 7-2 with a composed partnership that gave the momentum back to New Zealand. 

Three days after scoring an unbeaten 106 to usher his team to victory over South Africa with three balls to spare, Williamson was back in the thick of it against West Indies until his 153-ball innings ended when he skied a Cottrell delivery in the 47th over and was caught behind. 

He has 373 runs in four innings at the tournament and has been unbeaten twice.

Cottrell finished the innings with a flourish, adding the late wickets of Tom Latham (12) and Williamson to return 4-56 from 10 overs.

He also ran out Colin de Grandhomme in the 49th over and took two catches in the 50th to leave an indelible mark on the game. 

New Zealand’s opening bowler also struck twice early, with Boult removing Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran before Gayle (87) and Shimron Hetmyer (54) combined in a 122-run third wicket partnership that swung the advantage bac k to West Indies. 

Hetmyer hit Lockie Ferguson for six to bring up his 50 from 42 balls but it was his dismissal in the paceman’s next over that triggered the West Indies collapse.

Ferguson bowled Hetmyer on the first ball of the 23rd over and had Jason Holder caught behind next ball as West Indies slipped to 142-4. 

Brathwaite blocked the hat trick ball, and went on to amazing innings. 

Gayle had plenty of reprieves as he plundered 87 from 84 balls, dropped on 15 and then twice in the outfield on 58 and 59 in the 18th over from Mitchell Santner. 

But he didn't h ave quite enough to clear the boundary when he drove de Grandhomme down the ground and Boult took the catch a meter inside the boundary to end the 24th over. 

When Boult returned to dismiss Ashley Nurse and injured opener Lewis, the West Indies was 162-7, having lost 5-22 in 28 deliveries and just about any chance of recovering the match. 

Brathwaite and Roach added 47 for the eighth wicket, and Cottrell (15) and Oshane Thomas (0) hung around. Brathwaite plundered 25 in the 48th over off Neesham to make for a memorable finish. 

West Indies still has a mathematical chance of reaching the playoffs, but faces second-ranked India next.