India post 402 against Afghanistan driven by centuries from Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan
The Indian cricket team achieved an impressive 402 runs against Afghanistan in the second game of the One-Day International (ODI) series. This result was largely driven by the remarkable performances of Shubman Gill, who registered his ninth century in ODIs with 154 runs off 110 balls, and Ishan Kishan, who made his second century with 125 runs off just 79 deliveries. The partnership between the two was overwhelming, adding 224 points off 141 balls in the intense heat of Lucknow. Although India aimed for a score of over 450, Afghanistan demonstrated resilience, managing to limit their opponents by taking seven wickets for just 62 runs in the last ten overs.
The clash also marked tactical changes for both teams, with India and Afghanistan making three substitutions in their formations. Among the new features, the debuts of Prince Yadav for India and Darwish Rasooli for Afghanistan stand out. After winning the toss, Afghanistan opted to bowl first and quickly gained an advantage, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second over. Jaiswal was caught trying to cut a ball from Mohammad Saleem, providing the Afghan bowler with his first wicket in ODI matches.
Shubman Gill, who was already coming off an impeccable performance of 84 points in the previous match, began his contribution in spectacular fashion. He demonstrated his class with a classy drive to cover against AM Ghazanfar. Shortly afterwards, Rohit Sharma excited the home crowd in Lucknow with two fine shots. Gill maintained a steady pace, taking advantage of the gaps in the opposition defense with his rising knocks and helping India surpass the fifty-run mark in the seventh over.
Left-handed bowler Nangeyalia Kharote’s innings began with a short ball that Gill deftly sent over the pitch. Faced with Indian pressure, Afghanistan turned to Rashid Khan’s experience to try to reverse the situation. Khan managed to fool Rohit Sharma with a sharp *googly*, resulting in the batsman being out for 48 runs and ending a promising 87-run partnership for India. However, this elimination proved to be just the prelude to an even more intense offensive sequence.
Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill laid a solid foundation early in their innings, with Gill quickly reaching his half-century in 38 balls with a powerful six over Kharote’s wide pitch. Mohammad Saleem conceded two balls for four points off three deliveries from Gill, and Kishan, in turn, sent a ball into the stands. After 22 *overs*, the Indian team maintained an average of almost seven points per *over*.
Highlight for Nangeyalia Kharote’s performance in the Afghan attack
Ishan Kishan reached his half-century in 52 balls, marking his first significant score since September 2023, at which point his performance exploded. He showed great aggression, hitting a Ghazanfar ball deep and scoring 4, 6, 0 and 4 against the spin of Hashmatullah Shahidi, before hitting two sixes and a four against Rashid Khan. Observing his colleague’s attack, Gill calmly completed his century in just 77 balls with a precise strike through square leg against Bilal Sami.
Following this, Kishan made a series of 4, 4, 4 to notch his second century in ODIs, his first since his stunning 210 against Bangladesh in December 2022. Remarkably, he took 52 balls for his first half-century and just 19 to reach his second, highlighting his acceleration. Simultaneously, Gill also stepped up his pace with two hits through extra cover against Saleem.
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After 28 *overs*, India registered 193 runs with two wickets lost. In the next eight *overs*, the team added 114 points to their tally, taking the run rate to over 8.50. Ishan Kishan hit two impressive one-handed sixes against Kharote but was run out while trying for a third, hitting the ball inaccurately to mid-off.
The weather conditions in Lucknow, marked by intense heat, began to take their toll on the athletes. Rashid Khan had to leave the field with a slight limp, while Shubman Gill received treatment from the physiotherapist. Other Afghanistan players also felt the effects of the challenging environment.
Despite his fatigue, Gill still managed some powerful knocks, reaching 150 in 109 balls. However, Shreyas Iyer faced difficulties in maintaining the same attacking rhythm. Nangeyalia Kharote then shone with two wickets in two consecutive balls: first removing Gill, whose reverse knock was easily caught at deep point, and then KL Rahul, who hit a ball to long-on and was out without scoring.
Kharote secured his fourth wicket by running out Shreyas, who made a timing error and sent the ball to the outfield. The intensity of the knocking decreased in the final stages of the match, and India only managed to cross the 400-point mark in the last innings. The Indian innings ended with Prince Yadav being run out for 5. Afghanistan now faces the immense challenge of chasing a target of 403 points. At the end of the innings, Kharote took 4 wickets for 76 points, and Rashid Khan contributed three.
