Afghanistan’s Tour Of India – (1st T20)
India showcased their dominance against Afghanistan, clinching a comfortable victory in the opening match of their three-game T20 series. They beat Afghanistan by a comfortable 6 wickets and 15 balls.
Winning the toss after a streak of eleven consecutive toss losses, Rohit Sharma elected to put Afghanistan into bat first. Despite a slow start, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz laid a foundation with a 50-run stand. However, it was the subsequent partnership of 68 runs between Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai that rejuvenated Afghanistan’s innings, with Nabi’s aggressive approach adding quick runs. Nevertheless, wickets fell in succession, and a late cameo by Najibullah Zadran pushed Afghanistan close to the 160-run mark. Axar Patel shone among the spinners, securing two crucial wickets, while pacers Mukesh Kumar and Shivam Dube chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.
In pursuit of the target, India encountered a few hiccups but managed to stay ahead of the required run rate throughout the innings. Shivam Dube’s commanding innings with the bat ensured there were no late stumbling blocks for the hosts. Despite losing wickets early on, India’s innings found stability through a partnership between Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube, adding 44 runs and putting India in control. Jitesh Sharma contributed with a quickfire cameo before Dube, unfazed by the fall of wickets, shifted into overdrive mode towards the end. Displaying aggressive shot-making, Dube secured a stellar fifty and capped off the match with a maximum to seal the victory for India.
Afghanistan, despite a fortunate breakthrough in the first over and some commendable performances from bowlers like Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi, couldn’t defend their total against a formidable Indian side. The pacers struggled with slower deliveries on a pitch where the ball slid on, and the failure to capitalize on early breakthroughs proved costly. In the end, Afghanistan fell significantly short of India’s total, handing the hosts a resounding victory and a 1-0 lead in the series.
Chief Scores :
Afghanistan 158 for 5 in 20 overs ( Mohammed Nabi 42, Azmatullah Omarzai 29, Ibrahim Zadran 25, Axar Patel 2 for 23, Mujesh Kumar 2 for 33, Shivam Dube 1 for 9)
India – 159 for 4 in 17.3 overs (Shivam Dube 60*, Jitesh Sharma 31, Tilak Varma 26, Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2 for 21, Azmatullah Omarzai 1 for 33, Gulbadin Naib 0 for 12)
