A consistent downpour delayed the start by four hours and 15 minutes, shortening the match to 25 overs per team. Choosing to bowl first, India limited Afghanistan to 194, with debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey each securing three wickets.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz stood out for the visitors, smashing an impressive 102 off 51 balls, keeping Afghanistan in the contest.
In response, Gill continued his excellent form across formats, scoring an unbeaten 84 off 66 balls, guiding India to victory with 13 balls remaining. KL Rahul contributed with a quickfire 39 not out off 19 balls, including an elegant six over extra cover, leading India to their target in 22.5 overs.
Gill’s opening partner Rohit Sharma (16 off 16) was run out after Gill declined a risky single in the sixth over of the chase. Rohit’s form and fitness were under scrutiny as he wasn’t at his best, although he did manage a drive on the up and a six off his signature pull shot.
Ishan Kishan (34 off 22) had a solid return to ODIs at number three before falling victim to a googly from Rashid Khan.
Most of Gill’s exquisite boundaries came against the spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammed Nabi, and AM Ghazanfar, starting with a smooth cover drive off pacer Zia Ur Rahman. Gill particularly excelled against his Gujarat Titans teammate Rashid Khan, hitting a notable six over mid-wicket.
Thanks to the newly installed subair drainage system, little time was lost once the rain subsided.
Gurbaz, a skilled performer in T20 cricket, approached the shortened game with confidence, which he credited to advice from rival coach Gautam Gambhir following the one-off Test in Mullanpur. For reference, Gurbaz was a key player for the KKR team that clinched the IPL title in 2024.
The ball moved slightly in the air at the beginning, but Gurbaz quickly adopted an aggressive mindset, cutting Arshdeep for a four and then stepping out to send the left-arm pacer over the boundary.
The 6 feet 5 inch tall Brar (3/27 in 4.5 overs) had served as a net bowler for the Indian team prior to earning his ODI cap from captain Shubman Gill on Saturday, consistently reaching speeds over 145 km/h in his opening over while getting the ball to move away.
His initial deliveries swung away from full length before he adjusted his length to catch opener Ibrahim Zadran off guard, leading to a catch at mid-off and an instant breakthrough for the Punjab fast bowler in his international debut.
Afghanistan was reduced to 16 for two when Arshdeep trapped Sediqullah Atal lbw with a delivery that had minimal movement. The situation worsened to 26 for three when Rahmat Shah misjudged a pull off Arshdeep, getting caught by another debutant, Harsh Dubey, who ran back from mid-wicket.
Gurbaz was nearly adjudged leg before on 14, but Arshdeep and Team India opted against a review.
That was the luck Gurbaz needed to deliver a memorable performance. His ninth ODI century featured eight fours and as many sixes.
He applied pressure on the bowlers, including debutant left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey (3/47 in 5 overs), with his aggressive style. Dubey’s first two overs yielded 26 runs, as Gurbaz capitalized on two short balls to send them over mid-wicket.
Additionally, Gurbaz dispatched a short ball from Brar for another maximum while punishing bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar. However, Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/31) bowled consistently and also took a couple of wickets.
Gurbaz’s wicket in the 16th over halted the run rate, and Afghanistan couldn’t fully leverage the solid start provided by the opener.
Dubey eventually secured three wickets in his second spell, dismissing Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (27 off 30), explosive all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai (26 off 16), and AM Ghazanfar.
(With PTI inputs)
