India Beat Afghanistan In 1st ODI As Shubman Gill Masterclass Seals Dharamsala Chase

Dharamsala: India defeats Afghanistan by seven wickets at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala, tracking down a rain-adjusted target to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match One Day International (ODI) series. 

Heavy downpours delayed the onset of play, forcing match officials to curtail the game to a brisk 25-overs-a-side contest. After electing to field under overcast skies, India’s refreshed bowling contingent successfully curbed a rampaging Rahmanullah Gurbaz to restrict Afghanistan to 194 all out. In reply, a masterful anchor inning by skipper Shubman Gill engineered a flawless chase, completing the triumph with 13 balls to spare.

The visitors' innings was dominated entirely by opening batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Disregarding the damp, bowler-friendly conditions early on, Gurbaz single-handedly dismantled the Indian frontline attack. The right-hander produced a breathtaking 102 off just 51 deliveries, peppered with eight boundaries and eight spectacular sixes. However, Afghanistan’s middle-order proved to be their Achilles' heel. 

Aside from steady contributions from Hashmatullah Shahidi (27) and Azmatullah Omarzai (26), the remaining batsmen faltered spectacularly under sustained pressure.Making their international debuts, Indian bowlers Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey proved to be the ultimate disruptors. Brar utilized his tall frame to exploit extra bounce, finishing with highly impressive figures of 3 for 27, while left-arm spinner Dubey trigger-pulled the lower-order slide to claim 3 for 47. Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with two wickets apiece as Afghanistan folded for 194 in 24.5 overs.

Chasing a demanding target of 195, India’s response was clinical. Rohit Sharma (16) and Ishan Kishan (34) Provided a rapid opening foundation to keep the required run-rate fully within check. Following their departures, captain Shubman Gill took absolute control of the proceedings. Balancing risk with textbook strokeplay, Gill anchored the chase beautifully to smash an unbeaten 84 off 66 balls. 

During his match-winning display, Gill added another major milestone to his swelling resume, becoming the second-fastest batsman in international cricket history to eclipse 3,000 ODI runs.

Following a brief wobble, KL Rahul arrived to put to rest any late Afghan resurgence. Rahul unleashed a devastating counter-attack, smashing a quickfire 39* off only 19 balls. His final flurry, which included a colossal six off Ziaur Rahman, swiftly guided India home to 195 for 3 in the 23rd over. 

Afghanistan's premier spinner Rashid Khan bowled economically for his 1 for 34 but lacked substantial wicket-taking assistance from the opposite end. The action now shifts to the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, where the two Asian subcontinental sides will square off for the second ODI on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.