Videos circulating on social media on Sunday showed Afghans celebrating India's victory over Pakistan in the Super 12 segment of the T20 World Cup -- unsurprising, given the generally positive image India has built in the war-ravaged over the years as a result of generous foreign aid, contrasted with the highly negative image of Pakistan as meddling in Afghan internal affairs.
Twitter user @NasroSalik posted a video shot in Kabul that showed a throng of Afghans crowded around a Television set in a bustling market area, breaking out in cheers following Virat Kohli's dazzling final ball nail-biting finish to seal victory over Pakistan.
"This is kabul Afghanistan people are celebrating the victory of #India against #Pakistan. What a thriller that was," the excited Twitter user said.
Kohli, who scored an unbeaten 82 off 53, played a superb innings that included a six in the final over, when 16 runs were needed by India to win.
The climax of the match was the final over, which was given to left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz on a night where spin was a liability for both the sides.
Asked to defend 15 runs, Nawaz got a wicket off the first ball, and avoided a boundary off the next two deliveries as well before bowling a no-ball that was smacked for a six by Kohli. He got another wicket late in the over but that proved insufficient as Kohli had done the job by then.
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