The 1st ODI between India and Afghanistan at the picturesque HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala has already concluded! Heavy rain heavily delayed the match, reducing it into an action-packed 25-overs-a-side shootout.
Led by Shubman Gill, India won the toss, opted to bowl, and eventually secured a comprehensive 7-wicket victory with 13 balls to spare.
Here is exactly how the Playing 11s looked, how the rain-affected pitch played out, and how the heavily anticipated tactical battles unfolded under the Dharamshala lights:
Confirmed Playing 11
India handed out two ODI debuts in this shortened match, balancing veterans like Rohit Sharma with young talent.
🇮🇳 India Playing 11
Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey (Debut), Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar (Debut).
🇦🇫 Afghanistan Playing 11
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Saleem, Allah Ghazanfar, Ziaur Rahman.
Dharamshala Pitch & Match Conditions
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Under the Covers: Due to the persistent rain, the surface spent a long time covered up.
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Lack of Initial Movement: Despite the damp conditions and high altitude, there wasn’t a significant amount of traditional swing or movement on offer with the new ball.
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Effective Variations: As the innings progressed, taking pace off the ball and hard lengths proved highly effective for the pacers, while spinners found a bit of turn.
Key Battles & Match Reality
Match Video Highlights