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India rode on an all-round effort from Shivam Dube to begin their final leg of preparation for the T20 World Cup 2024 on a strong note. India outclassed a touring Afghanistan side by 6 wickets in the first T20I of a 3-match series at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. | IND vs AFG, 1st T20I Scorecard | It was a perfect birthday gift from the team to head coach Rahul Dravid, who turned 51 on Thursday.
The comfortable victory also marked Rohit Sharma’s successful return as captain of the Indian T20I side after a gap of 14 months. Rohit Sharma did not add to India’s tally in their chase of a modest total of 159 as he was run out after a horrible mix-up with his opening partner Shubman Gill, but it was all happy faces in the end in the Indian camp as India cruised past the finish line.
Shivam Dube showcased his multi-dimensional skills as he auditioned well for the role of Hardik Pandya’s back-up in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup in Mohali. The Chennai Super Kings all-rounder picked up a wicket in 2 overs while conceding only 9 runs. He got the ball to nip around off the pitch, taking the wicket of Afghanistan’s captain Ibrahim Zadran.
Dube shone with the bat too, as he held the Indian innings together after India lost Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill inside the powerplay. Dube hit a career-best 60, notching up his second T20I fifty which came in just 38 balls in what has been a start-stop career so far. Dube remained unbeaten as India chased down 159 with 15 balls to spare.
With less than 6 months to go for the T20 World Cup, India gave opportunities to young guns and the likes of Dube, Axar Patel (2 for 22) and Jitesh Sharma, who played a fine cameo after getting a batting promotion, put their hand up and shone in Mohali.
The victory also meant India took a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series. With the win, Rohit Sharma also scripted history as the first man to be part of 100 T20I wins. He is only the 4th cricketer after England’s Dani Wyatt and Australia’s Alyssa Healy and Ellyse Perry to complete the milestone.
ROHIT FURIOUS AT GILL
India did not have a big total to chase but there was a bit of panic in the camp after Rohit Sharma was run-out for 0 as early as the 2nd delivery. Rohit set out for a quick single after dancing down the track and hitting left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi to the mid-off fielder.
However, Shubman Gill did not respond to the call and both men ended up at the same end – the non-striker’s. Rohit was livid and he was furious at Gill as he made his way back to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.
Gill was aggressive as he tried to put behind the run-out of his captain. The Gujarat Titans captain hit 5 boundaries for a 12-ball 23. However, in the 4th over, in a bid to put Mujeeb Ur Rahman out of the attack, he danced down the track and was stumped.
India were in a spot of bother after losing two early wickets. However, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube helped ease the nerves in the camp with a fine 44-run stand that came in just 4.5 overs. Tilak went after the Afghanistan bowlers for his 22-ball 26 before he was caught at deep fine-leg by Gulbadin Naib.
SHIVAM DUBE AND JITESH SHARMA SHINE
Shivam Dube put his head down and kept the innings together. He found good support in Jitesh Sharma, who walked in at No. 5 ahead of Rinku Singh. Jitesh, who was picked ahead of Sanju Samson for the firs T20I, made the most of the opportunity with a fearless approach, hitting 5 boundaries for his 20-ball 31.
Rinku Singh, as expected, was there at the end, giving the finishing touches as he hit 16 from just 9 balls. Dube was unbeaten on 60 and hit the winning runs iin the 18th over.
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran added 50 runs for the first wicket but the opening partnership was not free-flowing. Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with a 22-ball 29 but none of the Afghanistan top-order batters converted their starts into big knocks.
Thanks to veteran Mohammad Nabi’s sensational 42 off just 27 balls Afghanistan posted a total in excess of 150.
Axar Patel shone with the ball, picking up 2 wickets and just giving away 22 runs in his quota of 4 overs while Mukesh Kumar picked up 2 wickets.
It was an off-day for Ravi Bishnoi, who gave away 35 runs in his 3-over spell while Washington Sundar gave away 27 runs in 3 overs.
India will look to seal the series when the two teams meet in the 2nd T20I in Indore on Sunday, January 17.
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