Eoin Morgan celebrates after scoring his 13th ODI century

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

England captain Eoin Morgan smashed a brutal 71-ball 148, which included a record-breaking 17 sixes, to lead his side to a 150-run win over Afghanistan in Manchester.

Electing to bat first, England got off to a solid start before opener James Vince was dismissed by Dawlat Zadran for 26.

Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root steadied things with a 120-run partnership, during which Bairstow came within touching distance of his hundred.

However, he didn’t get there as he was caught and bowled by Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib for 90, which came off 99 balls and included eight boundaries and three sixes.

Root and Morgan kept the runs flowing with a 189-run stand, during which Morgan raced past his century and Root his fifty.

Root ended up making an 82-ball 88, which included five boundaries and a six, before he was dismissed by Naib.

Morgan went on to score a career-best 148, which came off 71 balls and included four boundaries and 17 sixes, before he became Naib’s third victim.

Morgan made history during his knock as he struck the most sixes in an ODI innings.

Once Morgan was gone, England began to lose wickets in a hurry, but with Moeen Ali hammering an unbeaten 31 off nine balls, they finished on 397/6.

Not only was that England’s highest score in the World Cup, but they also broke the record for the most sixes by a team in an ODI innings.

Naib and Dawlat picked up three wickets apiece, while Rashid Khan, who conceded 110 runs from nine overs saw his name added to the record books for the most expensive bowling figures in a World Cup match.

Chasing 398 to win, Afghanistan got off to a dismal start as opener Noor Ali Zadran was clean bowled by Jofra Archer for a duck on the eighth ball of the innings.

Gulbadin managed to score 37 runs before he was caught behind off the bowling of Mark Wood.

Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi stabilised the innings with a 52-run partnership before Rahmat was dismissed by Adil Rashid for 46.

Shahidi and Asghar Afghan kept the scoreboard ticking with a 94-run stand before Asghar was caught by Root at slip off the bowling of Rashid for 44.

Rashid also took out Mohammad Nabi for nine runs, while Shahidi went on to score a 100-ball 76, which included five boundaries and two sixes, before he was clean bowled by Archer.

Wood sent Najibullah Zadran packing for 15, while Archer removed Rashid for eight runs.

Afghanistan ended up falling well short of their target as they finished on 247/8 off their 50 overs.

Archer and Rashid took three wickets apiece, while Wood claimed two.

Morgan was named Man of the Match.