Gill Anchors, KL Rahul Finishes As India Cruise Past Afghanistan

Captain Shubman Gill played a composed unbeaten knock to lead India to a seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the rain-affected ODI series opener on Saturday, a match that marked the start of India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup .

Persistent rain delayed the start and interruptions reduced the contest to a 25-overs-a-side game , but India made the most of the conditions after opting to field.

Afghanistan posted a competitive 194 all out , largely powered by a sensational 102 off 51 balls from Rahmanullah Gurbaz , who dominated early proceedings with aggressive strokeplay. His innings included powerful hitting all around the ground as he took on both pace and spin.

India’s bowling, however, stayed disciplined. Debutant pacer Gurnoor Brar impressed with 3/27 , consistently clocking 145 kmph plus and extracting movement to trouble the Afghan top order. Fellow debutant Harsh Dubey also claimed 3/47 , breaking key partnerships and applying pressure in the middle overs. Arshdeep Singh struck early blows, while Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/31) maintained control and picked up crucial wickets.

Afghanistan’s momentum dipped after Gurbaz’s dismissal, as they failed to fully capitalize on their strong start despite reaching a solid total.

In response, India chased down the target in 22.5 overs . The innings began with a setback when Rohit Sharma (16) was run out after a miscommunication with Gill in the sixth over. Ishan Kishan (34 off 22) looked fluent on his ODI return before being dismissed by a Rashid Khan googly.

Gill anchored the chase with elegance and authority, finishing on 84 not out off 66 balls , timing the ball beautifully and dominating Afghanistan’s spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and AM Ghazanfar . He struck several classy boundaries and a standout six over mid-wicket off Rashid Khan.

KL Rahul (39 not out off 19) provided the finishing flourish with an aggressive cameo, including a clean six over extra cover, ensuring India completed the chase comfortably.

The match also highlighted the efficiency of the newly installed subair drainage system , which helped minimise delays once the rain stopped, allowing play to resume quickly.

India’s dominant all-round performance, highlighted by strong debut displays and Gill’s leadership, gave the team a confident start to their ODI campaign.