India played against Afghanistan in their first T20 cricket match. India had to chase 159 runs to win. They lost four wickets but managed to beat Afghanistan by 6 wickets at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on January 11. With this win, India leads the tri-series by 1-0.
In the beginning, India faced a setback when their captain Rohit Sharma got out for 0 in the first over. Shubman Gill also lost his wicket in the 4th over. However, Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma built a good partnership. Sharma got out in the 14th over, but Rinku Singh played well and remained not out at 16. Shivam Dube scored 60 not out and helped India win the match.
For Afghanistan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman took two wickets, and Azmatullah Omarzai took one. Earlier, Afghanistan scored 158/5 in their innings. Mohammad Nabi was their top scorer with 42 runs.
India’s skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl first. Several Indian players were unavailable due to injuries, and Virat Kohli couldn’t play for personal reasons. Shubman Gill took the number 3 spot, and Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened the batting for India.
Rashid Khan, a key bowler for Afghanistan, was ruled unfit for the T20 series. Afghanistan’s coach Jonathan Trott mentioned missing Rashid’s leadership but was curious to see who would step up.
The match was broadcast live on JioCinema, Sports18-1 SD + HD, and Colors Cineplex. Shivam Dube was declared the player of the match for his outstanding performance.
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In summary, India won the match against Afghanistan by 6 wickets, with Shivam Dube playing a crucial role in securing the victory.