Captain Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan led the way with centuries as they set up India’s massive 170-run victory over Afghanistan on Wednesday, sealing the three-match one-day international (ODI) series with two straight wins.
Gill and Kishan added 224 runs for the third wicket as India scored 402 after being put in to bat first in Lucknow. Afghanistan could only reach 232-9 in reply, with Darwish Rasooli retiring hurt.
After Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) fell early and Rohit Sharma (48) was bowled by Rashid Khan (3-48), Gill and Kishan kept the runs flowing, punishing the Afghan bowlers through the middle overs.
When India neared the 200-run mark, the two batters upped the tempo, scoring 121 runs in nine overs to get India to 307-2 after 36 overs. Gill and Kishan both completed their centuries with boundaries in the 33rd over, while collecting 21 runs from Bilal Sami.
But spinner Nangeyalia Kharote (4-76) limited the damage, getting both of them out. Kishan, who scored his first ODI century since 2022, hit seven sixes and 14 boundaries en route to an explosive 125 off 79 balls before getting caught trying to pull Kharote for six.
Gill was more measured, hitting only two sixes and 22 fours as he scored 154 off 110 balls, his ninth ODI hundred. But his tactful attempt to reverse sweep Kharote backfired, and the mis-timed shot got caught at deep point.
Kharote dismissed KL Rahul for a golden duck in the very next ball, leaving India at 360-5 in the 43rd over. India lost the rest of their batters within 42 runs, and were bowled out with one ball to spare.
SHAH’S LONELY BATTLE FALLS SHORT
Afghanistan were up against the odds chasing a target of 403, and their chances looked thinner after Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who had scored a 48-ball century in the previous match, got dismissed at 41 by Gurnoor Brar (3-60).
Sediqullah Atal (42) failed to get the visitors back on track. Darwish Rasooli had to retire hurt with a right hamstring injury soon after, and Brar bowled captain Hashmatullah Shahidi two balls later.
By the time Arshdeep Singh (3-45) dismissed Rashid Khan and Allah Ghazanfar in two successive deliveries in different overs, it was all but over with Afghanistan at 190-7.
“I did not realise I was on a hat-trick… now I have a regret,” said Singh in a post-match interview.
But Rahmat Shah’s lonely resistance, with a defiant 79 off 89 balls, helped the visitors get to 232 before the fall of their ninth wicket ended the match in the 45th over.
(Reuters)
