Mohali: India started the three-match T20 series against Afghanistan with a convincing six-wicket win in Mohali, Punjab, on Friday. However, the match also witnessed a heated exchange between Indian captain Rohit Sharma and his opening partner Shubman Gill, after Sharma was run out in the first over of the chase. A video of Sharma abusing Gill while returning to the dugout has gone viral on social media.
The Run Out Incident
The incident happened on the second ball of the first over when Sharma nudged the ball towards the off-side and called for a quick single. However, Gill hesitated and stayed in his crease, while the fielder Ibrahim Zadran threw the ball to the wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who whipped off the bails. Sharma, who had reached the other end, was furious at Gill and vented his frustration with some expletives. The video of the incident has sparked a debate among the fans, with some blaming Gill for the mix-up and some defending him for being cautious.
The Chase
After losing Sharma early, Gill played some aggressive shots and scored 23 runs off 12 balls, before falling to Mujeeb-ur-Rahman in the fourth over. Tilak Verma and Shivam Dubey then steadied the innings and added 42 runs for the third wicket. Verma made 26 runs off 18 balls, hitting one six and two fours, before being caught by Gulbadin Naib off Azmatullah Umarzai. Jitesh Sharma joined Dubey and the duo accelerated the scoring rate with some splendid strokes. Sharma scored 31 runs off 20 balls, smashing five fours, while Dubey remained unbeaten on 60 runs off 41 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes. Rinku Singh also chipped in with 16 not out off 10 balls, as India reached the target of 159 with 10 balls to spare. Mujeeb-ur-Rahman was the most successful bowler for Afghanistan, taking two wickets for 28 runs in his four overs.
The First Innings
Earlier, Sharma won the toss and opted to field first, hoping to exploit the conditions and restrict Afghanistan to a low score. However, Afghanistan put up a competitive total of 158 for 5 in their 20 overs, thanks to some late fireworks by Mohammad Nabi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Nabi was the top scorer for Afghanistan, making 42 runs off 24 balls, with three sixes and two fours. Gurbaz also played a cameo of 28 runs off 14 balls, hitting two sixes and two fours. No other Afghan batsman crossed the 30-run mark, as the Indian bowlers kept a tight leash on the scoring rate. Mukesh Kumar and Akshar Patel were the picks of the bowlers for India, taking two wickets each for 29 and 30 runs respectively in their four overs. Shivam Dubey also claimed one wicket for 32 runs in his four overs.
