India vs Afghanistan Highlights 1st ODI Shubman Gill Stars as India Cruise to Seven Wicket Win

India vs Afghanistan 1st ODI: Shubman Gill Leads India to Comfortable Seven Wicket Victory

India began their preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup in impressive fashion, defeating Afghanistan by seven wickets in a rain-curtailed first ODI at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday. Chasing a revised target of 195 in a 25-over contest, India rode on a masterful unbeaten innings from Shubman Gill to complete the chase with ease and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

The match had earlier been delayed by more than four hours due to persistent rain, reducing the contest to 25 overs per side. Despite the shortened format, fans witnessed plenty of entertainment, highlighted by a sensational century from Afghanistan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz and a classy chase from the Indian batters.

Gurbaz Produces a Stunning Counterattack

After being put in to bat, Afghanistan suffered an early collapse as India’s pace attack removed key batters inside the powerplay. Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal and Rahmat Shah departed cheaply, leaving Afghanistan under pressure.

However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz had other plans. The explosive wicketkeeper-batter launched a breathtaking counterattack that stunned the Indian bowlers. Mixing timing with raw power, Gurbaz smashed eight boundaries and eight sixes during his brilliant knock of 102 runs.

His century came in just 48 balls, making it the fastest ODI hundred by an Afghanistan batter and one of the quickest centuries scored against India in ODI cricket.

Gurbaz also shared a crucial 116-run partnership with captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, who contributed 27 runs. At one stage, Afghanistan appeared set for a total beyond 220.

Indian Debutants Impress with the Ball

India's young bowlers showed remarkable composure after being put under pressure by Gurbaz. Debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey stood out with three wickets each and played a major role in restricting Afghanistan to 194.

Harsh Dubey recovered brilliantly after an expensive spell early on and dismissed Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai and AM Ghazanfar. Gurnoor Brar showcased his pace and control, finishing with impressive figures while also claiming the prized wicket of Rashid Khan.

Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with two wickets apiece, ensuring Afghanistan's innings lost momentum in the final overs.

Shubman Gill Anchors India's Chase

India's response began positively despite losing Rohit Sharma to a run-out. The setback hardly affected the hosts as Shubman Gill settled quickly and took complete control of the chase.

The Indian captain displayed exceptional timing and composure throughout his innings. Gill mixed elegant drives with aggressive stroke play, ensuring the required run rate remained under control.

Partnering first with Ishan Kishan and later Shreyas Iyer, Gill built crucial partnerships that pushed India closer to victory. His unbeaten 84 off 66 deliveries was a perfect example of controlled aggression and maturity.

KL Rahul Finishes in Style

If Gill laid the foundation, KL Rahul provided the finishing touches. Walking in during the latter stages of the chase, Rahul unleashed a series of powerful strokes that completely took the game away from Afghanistan.

The stylish batter hammered an unbeaten 39 off just 19 balls, including several boundaries and towering sixes. His aggressive approach ensured India crossed the target comfortably with more than two overs to spare.

With a dominant seven-wicket victory, India have made a strong start to the ODI series. The combination of young bowling talent and experienced batting stars will give the team plenty of confidence as they continue building towards the 2027 World Cup.