Pacer Prasidh Krishna delivered a career-best performance, claiming 5 for 23 to dismantle Afghanistan's top order, but skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi's courageous 102 runs guided his team to 218 all out against India in the third and final ODI at Chennai on Saturday.
Afghanistan's Wobbly Start
Opting to bat first, Afghanistan found themselves in deep trouble at 36 for four after Prasidh exploited the Chepauk pitch perfectly with a four-wicket burst during his opening spell. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and Rahmat Shah all attempted drives outside off-stump off Prasidh, offering simple catches to Rohit Sharma at first slip. Darwish Rasooli tried to pull the pacer, but Shreyas Iyer sprinted from mid-off to take a fine catch, giving Prasidh his fourth wicket within the first 10 overs. The Karnataka pacer joined an elite list of Indian pacers like Jasprit Bumrah, Javagal Srinath, and Mohammed Siraj to achieve that feat.
Shahidi and Omarzai's Rescue Act
At 36 for four, a collapse seemed imminent. However, Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai resisted the Indian bowlers bravely, often scoring at over five runs per over. Shahidi played the anchor role to perfection, using late cuts and dabs to find gaps, bringing up his fifty in 64 balls. Omarzai was more aggressive, reaching his half-century in 55 balls with sixes off left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey and off-spinner Washington Sundar. The pair added 105 runs off 117 balls for the fifth wicket.
Shahidi's Maiden ODI Century
Omarzai's innings ended when a feeble pull off Prince Yadav landed in the hands of Prasidh at long leg. Despite battling cramps after reaching 80, Shahidi remained unfazed and scored his first one-day international century off 128 balls, fittingly with a late cut four off Washington. He then added 57 runs off 53 balls for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Nabi. However, once Nabi departed, wickets fell quickly around Shahidi, who conjured his last ounce of energy to bat through the pain barrier and take Afghanistan past the 200-run mark.
India's Bowling Dominance
Prasidh's five-wicket haul was the highlight of India's bowling effort. His spell, marked by hitting the fuller length that tempted batters to drive, earned him career-best figures. The tourists' modest innings was further amplified by a five-run penalty imposed on them after Shahidi ran on the pitch's danger zone in the last ball of the 39th over.
In response, India will need to chase down 219 runs to win the match and potentially the series. The Indian bowling unit will be confident after restricting Afghanistan to a manageable total, while Shahidi's valiant knock will give the Afghan bowlers hope of defending the score.
