IND vs AFG: Shivam Dube stars as India beat Afghanistan in first match of T20 series
The Indian cricket team defeated Afghanistan by six wickets in Mohali and will head to Indore next for the 2nd T20 on Saturday.
Cricket
The Indian men’s cricket team beat Afghanistan by six wickets in the first clash of the three-match T20 series in Mohali on Thursday.
A disciplined effort by Indian bowlers, led by Axar Patel’s 2/23 in four overs, kept Afghanistan restricted to a modest 158/5. The hosts breezed through the total in 17.3 overs. Shivam Dube top-scored with 60 off 40 balls and was named Player of the Match. Dube also picked up a wicket for nine runs in two overs.
Electing to bowl first after winning the toss, India got off to a good start with Arshdeep Singh bowling a maiden over to Rahmanullah Gurbaz upfront. Though Afghanistan did not lose a wicket in the powerplay, the openers managed just 33 runs in the first six overs on a good batting wicket.
Axar Patel, who picked up the wickets of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah, combined with Shivam Dube to reduce Afghanistan to 57/3 in 10 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi improved Afghanistan’s run rate with a 68-run partnership in the next seven overs.
Mukesh Kumar produced two blows in the 18th over by removing Omarzai (29 off 22) and Nabi (42 off 27). However, the next two overs bowled by Washington Sundar and Arshdeep Singh produced 28 runs to give Afghanistan a strong finish.
India’s reply began with Indian T20 captain Rohit Sharma walking back to the pavilion after a runout on the second ball of the first over. Mujeeb Ur Rahman removed Shubman Gill in the fourth over to reduce India to 28/2 in four overs.
Shivam Dube and Tilak Varma restored the order with a 44-run partnership before the latter was dismissed courtesy of a brilliant catch by Gulbadin Naib on the bowling of Azmatullah Omarzai in the ninth over.
Shivam Dube saw off the chase comfortably with a 45-run partnership with Jitesh Sharma (31 off 20) which was followed by an unbeaten stand of 42 runs with Rinku Singh (16 off 9). Dube’s innings was laced with five fours and two boundaries.
The Indian cricket team will play Afghanistan in the second T20 in Indore on Saturday.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20 brief scores: Afghanistan 158/5 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 42; Axar Patel 2/23, Mukesh Kumar 2/33) lost to India 159/4 in 17.3 overs (Shivam Dube 60, Jitesh Sharma 31; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/21) by six wickets.