Dube powers India to series lead

A calculated innings from Shivam Dube (60* off 40) led India’s chase as the hosts gunned down Afghanistan’s modest total of 158 in the opening T20I in Mohali with 15 balls to spare and six wickets left in the tank.

The hosts did lose their openers inside the powerplay but Dube along with Tilak Verma (26 off 22) led the counterattack while Jitesh Sharma (31 off 20) joined in to bring India closer to the target. Afghanistan were about 20-25 runs short of a par score and the fact that they even got to 158 was largely thanks to Mohammad Nabi (42 off 27) whose counter-punch gave impetus after a slow start.

On a good batting surface with minimal movement upfront and no real signs of spin, Afghanistan were strangely hesitant when it came to their intent in the powerplay. Only 33 runs came in the first six overs without a single wicket lost – a stat that proved to be significant to the eventual result. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran were both unable to get their tempo going, perhaps trying too hard to force things on a pitch that naturally allowed strokeplay. However, they did stitch a 50-run stand which meant that there was some platform for the rest to launch.

After such a slow start, it was imperative for the openers to kick on but unfortunately for Afghanistan, both fell in quick succession. Gurbaz charged down to Axar Patel to get stumped while Dube picked up the Afghanistan skipper with a slower ball. Debutant Rahmat Shah then chopped one on to the sticks as Afghanistan lost 3/7 across 13 deliveries to find themselves in a hole.

On an easing pitch with his team in trouble, Nabi knew that he had to take the challenge to India and so he did in the company of the impressive Azmatullah Omarzai (29 off 22) as the pair added 68 off just 43 balls with crisp ball-striking. Nabi started the onslaught as peppered the short boundary for sixes while Omarzai also joined in shortly thereafter. When the stand was going great guns, Afghanistan looked set for a total in excess of 160 or even 165.

Mukesh Kumar, though, returned in his final spell to get rid of the two set batters in successive overs. A slower ball took out Omarzai who chopped one on while Nabi holed out to the deep in pursuit of another six. Their dismissals in quick succession robbed some momentum from the innings but Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat played cameos to ensure that the score ended up close to the 160-run mark

A lot is riding on this series for Rohit Sharma the player but the Indian captain fell to a huge mix up with Shubman Gill, resulting in the former’s run out. The single was on but Gill was ball-watching and it sent a furious Rohit on his way back in the first over of the chase. Just the start Afghanistan were seeking.

The young opener looked in ominous touch at his home ground, stroking some elegant boundaries but a rush of blood saw him getting stumped against Mujeeb-ur-Rahman. At 28/2 in the fourth over with an inexperienced middle order to follow, Afghanistan were sensing an opening to create more pressure. Particularly with the lack of batting depth as well.

The two left-handers (Dube and Tilak)  love to be aggressive as it’s their natural game and that’s how they reacted to the pressure situation. Dube took on Nabi for a monstrous six while also collecting boundaries against the pacers. Tilak was equally confident, if not more, as he executed his signature wristy strokes on both sides of the wicket. The 44-run stand came off just 29 balls as the chase got back on track after the initial wobble.

A blinder by Gulbadin Naib at deep square leg ended Tilak’s stay at the crease but the visitors weren’t able to build on that breakthrough as Jitesh Sharma continued to up the tempo. Dube also motored along at the other end, breezing past his fifty. He added 45 off just 31 balls with Jitesh and then stitched an unbroken 42-run stand with Rinku Singh to see India through. Apart from Dube, there weren’t any big scores but consistent partnerships meant that the result was never in doubt.

Brief scores:
Afghanistan 158/5 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 42; Axar Patel 2-23, Mukesh Kumar 2-33) lost to India 159/4 in 18.3 overs (Shivam Dube 60*, Jitesh Sharma 40; Mujeeb-ur-Rahman 2-21) by six wickets