India vs Afghanistan 2024 Cricket

'Interesting to see how India manage their T20 squad' - Fans react as hosts India beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets in first T20I in Mohali

Shivam Dube played the unbeaten knock of 60 runs off just 40 balls to help India chase down the target in just 17.3 overs to beat Afghanistan in the first T20I.

author-image
Mathew K
New Update
India vs Afghanistan, First T20I (File Photo:X)

India vs Afghanistan, First T20I (File Photo:X)

India and Afghanistan locked horns in the first T20I of the three-match series at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday, January 11 2024. The hosts’ skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and decided to bowl first. Batting first Afghanistan managed to post a total of 158 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the allotted 20 overs.

Former skipper Mohammed Nabi played a crucial knock of 42 runs off just 27 balls, hitting 2 fours and 3 sixes; besides Nabi, number 3 batter and star all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai also scored 29 runs off 22 balls, hitting 2 fours and a six. The Nabi-Omarzai duo also stitched a crucial partnership of 68 runs for the fourth wicket to help Afghanistan recover after a top-order collapse.

Notably, Afghanistan lost their top 3 quickly at the score of 57 runs after getting a good start of 50 runs for the first wicket by the opening pair of wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz and skipper Ibrahim Zadran; they scored 23 and 25 runs, respectively for their side.

Shivam Dube guides India's run chase with an unbeaten half-century

While chasing the target, India faced a big blow when the skipper Rohit Sharma got dismissed on a two-ball duck owing to a misunderstanding and a mix-up with his young opening partner Shubman Gill. However, Gill played quite well later before getting stumped at the individual score of 23 runs off 12 balls, with 5 fours. Recovering from losing 2 wickets at the score of 28 runs; the duo of Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube added a 44-run stand for the third wicket.

Varma scored 26 runs, with 2 fours and a six; furthermore, Dube kept taking charge over the Afghan bowlers and smashed an unbeaten match-defining knock of 60 runs off just 40 balls, with 5 fours and 2 sixes. He also added another crucial partnership of 45 runs for the fifth wicket wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma (31 runs off just 20 balls, 5 fours).

Eventually, India comfortably chased down the total in 17.3 overs, scoring 159 runs for the loss of 4 wickets, having Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh unbeaten with scores of 60 and 16 runs, respectively.

Here’s how fans reacted to India’s 6-wicket win over Afghanistan in 1st T20I:

 

 

Featured Shivam Dube India vs Afghanistan T20I series