Dharamsala: Captain Shubman Gill produced a match-winning unbeaten knock as India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in the rain-curtailed first ODI at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The match was reduced to 25 overs per side due to weather interruptions.
Afghanistan posted a challenging 194 after being asked to bat first, thanks largely to a sensational innings from opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 102 off just 51 balls, including eight fours and eight sixes, becoming the fastest Afghan player to score an ODI century and recording the quickest hundred ever in an India-Afghanistan ODI.
The visitors were in trouble early after losing three wickets for just 26 runs. However, Gurbaz and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (27) stitched together a crucial 116-run partnership to revive the innings. For India, debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey impressed with three wickets each, while Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with important breakthroughs.
In reply, India got off to a solid start through Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Rohit scored 16 before being run out but achieved a major milestone during his innings, becoming only the second Indian opener after Virender Sehwag to complete 16,000 international runs as an opener.
Gill then anchored the chase superbly, finishing unbeaten on 84 off 66 balls. He also became the fastest Indian and second-fastest player overall to reach 3,000 ODI runs during the innings. Ishan Kishan contributed 34, while KL Rahul provided the finishing touches with an unbeaten 39 off just 19 deliveries as India reached the target with 13 balls to spare.
With the victory, India have taken an early advantage in the series and will look to seal it in the second ODI, while Afghanistan will draw confidence from Gurbaz’s extraordinary century despite ending on the losing side.
