Afghanistan made a good score of 158/5 after 20 overs in the first T20I against India at Mohali on Thursday, thanks to a powerful knock by Mohammed Nabi and cameos by Azmatullah Omarzai and Najibullah Zadran. Indian needs 159 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
India put Afghanistan to bat first, and they got off to a good start. After openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and captain Ibrahim Zadran played Arshdeep Singh’s first over without scoring, they kept scoring at least one boundary per over. At the end of the first powerplay, Afghanistan was 33/0 after the first six overs. Zadran (16) and Gurbaz (15) were both still not out. With two sixes, Afghanistan was about to take off, but Axar Patel’s spin got Gurbaz out for 23 off 28 balls, which included two fours and a six. This was India’s first wicket. After eight overs, Afghanistan had 50 runs and one wicket. Zadran was out for 25 runs off 22 balls when he was caught at covers by captain Rohit Sharma. Shivam Dube then took the second wicket. After 8.2 overs, Afghanistan was 50/2.
Rahmat Shah’s first T20I match wasn’t very memorable because Axar got rid of his stumps for only three runs, which put Afghanistan down to 57/3 after 10 overs. Indian lost 16 runs in Ravi Bishnoi’s 15th over because Mohammed Nabi hit two fours off of him and Omarzai also hit a six. In 14.3 overs, Afghanistan scored 100 runs.
Afghanistan was 105/3 after 15 overs, with Azmatullah Omarzai (26) and Nabi (25) still not out. The pair scored 50 runs together in 32 balls. In the next over, Nabi made the score even higher by hitting Mukesh Kumar for two huge sixes, giving him a total of 15 runs. Omarzai and Nabi had put together a 68-run partnership until Mukesh got him out for 29 off 22 balls, which included two fours and a six. In 17.1 overs, Afghanistan had 125 runs and 4 wickets. Rinku caught Nabi at short cover for 42 off 27 balls, with two fours and three sixes. It was the last ball of the over and it was Mukesh’s second wicket. In 18 overs, Afghanistan had 130 runs and 5 wickets.
The run rate stayed the same as Karim Janat and Najibullah Zadran of Afghanistan scored 13 runs in the next over, with three fours. Afghanistan did well in the last over, scoring 15 runs, including three fours, in part because of a dropped catch. After 20 overs, they were 158/5, with Zadran (19) and Janat (9) still not out. Indian bowlers Axar (2/23) and Mukesh (2/33) were chosen. Dube also caught a ball.
