• Afghanistan lose all 10 wickets in post-lunch session
• Off-spinner Ashwin takes four wickets
• India post 474 in first innings

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates. Photo: Reuters

BENGALURU: India enforced follow-on against test debutants Afghanistan after skittling out the tourists for a paltry 109 at tea on day two of the one-off match in Bengaluru on Friday.

Pace duo Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav sent the Afghan top order packing before off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed 4-27 as the visitors lost all their 10 wickets in a single session.

Opener Mohammad Shahzad was off to a brisk start with three boundaries but was run out by a direct hit from an alert Hardik Pandya at point.

Sharma, fresh from English county stint with Sussex, troubled Javed Ahmadi with his inswingers before pegging back his middle stump in his third over.

Yadav trapped Rahmat Shah in front of the stumps for his 100th test wicket before Sharma nipped one past the shaky defence of wicketkeeper-batsman Afsar Zazai.

It took Ashwin only three deliveries to claim the scalp of rival captain Asghar Stanikzai as Afghanistan’s top five batsmen were sent back to the hut with just 50 runs on the board.

Hashmatullah Shahidi fell leg-before for 11 to hand Ashwin his second wicket, before left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Rashid Khan (seven) in his first over.

Ashwin got rid of Yamin Ahmadzai and Mohammad Nabi in consecutive overs, and Jadeja dismissed Mujeeb Ur Rahman stumped just in time for tea.

Earlier in the day, India posted a strong 474 after Pandya scored his third half-century to build on the solid foundation laid by opening day centurions Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan.

Ahmadzai was the pick of the Afghan bowlers with three wickets for 51 runs but it was a disappointing debut for spin spearhead Khan, who was hit for 154 runs for his two wickets.

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• India all out for 474 against debutants Afghanistan

File: France’s Kylian Mbappe during training Photo: REUTERS

ROSTOV-ON-DON: France have one of the youngest teams at the World Cup, but Kylian Mbappe believes Les Bleus have what it takes to win the title in Russia if they all stick together.

France start their campaign in Group C against Australia in Kazan on Saturday, with the 19-year-old Mbappe and the 21-year-old Ousmane Dembele supporting Antoine Griezmann up front.

“We have young team, yes, but if you look at it, you see we play at Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Juventus, Manchester. Take any big European team, there’s at least one Frenchman,” PSG striker Mbappe told sports daily L’Equipe on Friday.

“Of course we are young but several players already have plenty of experience: Raphael Varane won several (four) Champions League titles with Real, Samuel Umtiti is in the starting 11 at Barca, Paul Pogba played four great seasons at Juve. Youth is an excuse without being an excuse.

“I don’t like to talk about our age. Either you can, or you cannot.”

France are expected to top their group, which also features Denmark and Peru, but Mbappe admitted that they still lag behind Spain, Germany and Brazil, the competition’s top favourites.

“Let’s face it, Brazil, Spain and Germany are a little ahead of us. But on one competition you never know what can happen. We have potential, but if you look at everyone’s trophy list, ours fits on one piece of paper,” he said.

The squad’s mindset, however, can be a big boost for France, according to Mbappe.

“I know the players and nobody is playing for themselves. Everyone wants to win and when you want that, you are ready to make sacrifices for your team mates,” he explained.

“We are a new generation that has just started blooming. Being a true team, what does that mean? Stick together, like each other, being able to run for your team mate.

“Then there is the work of the coach but we have a great coach, there is no worries there,” he said of Didier Deschamps, who captained France to the World Cup title in 1998.

File: Paolo Guerrero Photo: REUTERS

SARANSK: Peru captain Paolo Guerrero, reprieved from a doping ban just in time for the World Cup, is in great shape and ready to play in Saturday’s Group C match against Denmark in Saransk, coach Ricardo Gareca said on Friday.

Guerrero, Peru’s all-time top-scorer, missed the playoffs against New Zealand due to a 14-month ban after he tested positive for a cocaine byproduct contained in a tea.

Guerrero said he ingested the drug unknowingly when he thought he had been given herbal tea for a flu.

In Peru and other Andean nations, coca leaves are often consumed legally with hot water as a kind of tea.

He was free to take part in the World Cup after the Swiss Federal Tribunal agreed to temporarily lift the ban pending an appeal. The captains of Peru’s Group C rivals – Australia, Denmark and France – had written to FIFA in his support.

Questions have been raised about whether the 34-year-old would be fit enough to play a key role in a tournament in which Peru will need to be at their very best to make it through the group stage.

But Gareca sounded positive.

“Whatever happened in the past, Paolo is very, very fit, he is training at a very high level and he really is ready to play,” Gareca told a news conference in Saransk.

Guerrero made his return in Peru’s white and red-slashed colors in fine style, scoring twice in a 3-0 win over Saudi Arabia in a friendly on June 3.

“Paolo is playing very well and he is very, very happy, preparing, and in a very good situation,” Gareca added, without disclosing if he would be in the starting lineup.

Peru, making their first appearance in the finals since 1982, are hoping to build on the momentum which saw them improve dramatically as the qualifiers progressed.

Saturday’s match could be decisive as they are unlikely to beat France, who are among the tournament’s favorites, but stand a fair chance of defeating Australia.

Successfully dealing with Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen will be crucial in the battle. He topped the scoring charts in qualifying for Denmark with 11 goals.

“Eriksen is a very important player, very well known, and he will be a key player. We have to be able to face players like him,” Gareca said.

“But we also have players at that level. He won’t be the only player we have to concentrate on. Playing against players like him will allow us to grow and learn.”

Egypt’s Mohamed Salah waves for fans in Cairo international stadium in Cairo. Photo: Reuters

YEKATERINBURG – Egypt named a starting lineup without striker Mohamed Salah for their World Cup opener against Uruguay on Friday, a day after coach Hector Cuper had said he was nearly 100 per cent certain to play.

Australia’s Glenn Maxwell celebrates his half century. Photo: Reuters

LONDON: Former captain Ricky Ponting believes Glenn Maxwell has nothing to prove to anyone and wants the big-hitting 29-year-old to become Australia’s batting mainstay in one-dayers.

Maxwell topscored for Australia with 62 in Wednesday’s first ODI against England which the visitors lost by three wickets.

Ponting, who is assisting head coach Justin Langer for the tour, called for consistency from the explosive Victorian.

“He (Maxwell) is at his best when the team is in trouble. When he goes out at 250 for three, that is when he makes silly mistakes,” Ponting told reporters.

“Well done to Glenn (for his knock), but I am sure he will be analysing his own innings and thinking he could have done a bit better.”

Reigning world champions Australia take on England in the second ODI at Cardiff on Saturday.