In a thrilling T20I encounter at Mohali, Bharat secured a six-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the first match of the three-game series. Chasing a target of 159 runs, Bharat faced an early setback as skipper Rohit Sharma was run out for a two-ball duck. Shubman Gill’s promising start was cut short by Mujeeb ur Rahman, leaving Bharat at 28/2. However, Shivam Dube’s resilient half-century and a quick cameo by Jitesh Sharma played pivotal roles in Bharat’s successful chase.
The initial partnership between Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube contributed to Bharat’s recovery, reaching 36/2 at the end of the first powerplay. Despite a brief interruption by Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai, removing Tilak for 26, Bharat reached the halfway mark at 83/3. Shivam Dube, unbeaten at 60*, and Jitesh Sharma, with a brisk 31, propelled Bharat past the 100-run mark. Rinku Singh joined Dube in steering Bharat towards victory, with Shivam reaching his fifty in 38 balls. Bharat ultimately secured the win at 159/4 in 17.3 overs, with Dube and Rinku unbeaten.
Earlier in the match, Afghanistan posted a competitive total of 158/5 in 20 overs. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and skipper Ibrahim Zadran provided a solid start, reaching 33/0 at the end of the powerplay. However, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube claimed crucial wickets, removing Gurbaz and Zadran, respectively. Despite a few setbacks, explosive knocks by Mohammed Nabi and cameos by Azmatullah Omarzai and Najibullah Zadran propelled Afghanistan to a respectable total.
The 68-run partnership between Omarzai and Nabi was crucial, but Mukesh Kumar’s double strike in the 17th over tilted the balance in Bharat’s favor. Afghanistan finished at 158/5, with Zadran and Janat unbeaten. Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar stood out as the pick of the bowlers for Bharat, contributing to the team’s 1-0 lead in the series.
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