The IND vs AFG 1st ODI ended in India’s favor as the hosts secured a comfortable seven-wicket win in Dharamshala. Persistent rain reduced the match to 25 overs per side, adding extra importance to every phase of play.
India won the toss and elected to field first. Afghanistan posted a competitive 194 before India chased the target with 13 balls remaining.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz starred with a brilliant century for Afghanistan, while Shubman Gill led India’s response with an unbeaten knock.
India now leads the three ODI Series by 1-0. Here’s how the match unfolded.
IND vs AFG 1st ODI: Gurbaz Century Powers Afghanistan to 194
Afghanistan finished on 194 all out in 24.5 overs after a stunning innings from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 102 runs from just 51 balls.
His knock included eight fours and eight sixes. Gurbaz dominated the Indian attack and kept Afghanistan in a strong position despite losing wickets regularly.
Hashmatullah Shahidi contributed 27 runs, while Azmatullah Omarzai added a quick 26 off 16 balls. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to build meaningful partnerships.
Afghanistan lost Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, and Rahmat Shah cheaply. That left Gurbaz carrying most of the scoring responsibility.
India’s Bowlers Restrict Afghanistan After Strong Start
India’s bowlers responded well after Gurbaz’s aggressive assault. The attack picked up wickets at regular intervals and prevented Afghanistan from crossing the 200-run mark.
Debutant Gurnoor Brar impressed with figures of 3 for 27 in 4.5 overs. Harsh Dubey also claimed three wickets and removed Shahidi, Omarzai, and AM Ghazanfar.
Arshdeep Singh struck twice with the new ball. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed two wickets and dismissed Gurbaz at a crucial stage.
Their combined effort helped India bowl Afghanistan out in the final over of the innings.
IND vs AFG 1st ODI: Gill Anchors India’s Successful Chase
India started positively but lost Rohit Sharma for 16. The opener was run out after a sharp piece of fielding involving Rashid Khan and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
Shubman Gill then took control of the chase. The Indian captain paced his innings perfectly and ensured there were no major setbacks.
Gill remained unbeaten on 84 from 66 balls. His innings featured 11 boundaries and two sixes.
Shubman Gill Achieves Major ODI Milestone
The match brought another milestone for Shubman Gill. During his unbeaten innings, he became the fastest Indian batter to complete 3,000 ODI runs.
The achievement added further significance to a memorable outing. Gill not only guided the chase but also collected the Player of the Match award.
His calm approach balanced aggression with control throughout the innings.
KL Rahul and Gill Complete Comfortable Chase
After Shreyas Iyer departed for 12, KL Rahul joined Gill at the crease. The pair quickly ended Afghanistan’s hopes of a comeback.
Rahul scored an unbeaten 39 from only 19 deliveries. His innings included four fours and three sixes.
As a result, India reached 195 for 3 in 22.5 overs and secured victory with seven wickets in hand.
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Conclusion
India produced a disciplined performance in the rain-affected contest and deservedly took a 1-0 lead in the series. The bowlers recovered well after Gurbaz’s attack and restricted Afghanistan to a chaseable total.
Gill once again showed why he remains one of India’s most reliable ODI batters. His unbeaten knock ensured there were no late complications during the pursuit.
Afghanistan will take confidence from Gurbaz’s explosive century, but must improve their batting performance in the next match.
India, meanwhile, will look to build on this convincing all-round display in the second ODI.
