In the opening match of the three-match One Day International (ODI) series between India and Afghanistan, Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz delivered a spectacular and memorable century, taking the Indian bowlers to task. However, behind this explosive innings by Gurbaz lay a significant mistake by the Indian team itself. If captain Shubman Gill and senior player Rohit Sharma had shown better judgment, Gurbaz would have returned to the pavilion when he was at a mere 11 runs. This lapse in judgment proved extremely costly for the Men in Blue as the Afghan opener went on to script history on the field.
Rain Delay and Match Reduction
The match, held in Dharamshala, faced significant interruptions due to continuous heavy rain, which delayed the start of play by approximately 4 hours. Considering the loss of time and the prevailing weather conditions, the umpires decided to reduce the match to 25 overs per side. This shortened format set the stage for a high-intensity battle, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz took full advantage of the situation, unleashing a storm of runs from his bat. He reached the 100 run mark in just 48 balls, setting a new record for the fastest ODI century for Afghanistan. Also, this stands as the second fastest century against India in ODI history. Gurbaz also became the first batsman after Shahid Afridi to score an ODI century against India in fewer than 50 balls. Shahid Afridi had achieved this feat in 2005 by scoring a century in 45 balls.
The DRS Blunder by Rohit and Gill
The Indian team missed a golden opportunity to gain control of the match early in the Afghanistan innings, while the incident occurred during the third over of the innings, with fast bowler Arshdeep Singh leading the attack. On the fifth ball of the over, Arshdeep completely deceived Gurbaz, and the ball struck his left pad. The Indian players made a loud appeal for Leg Before Wicket (LBW), but the umpire ruled it not out. Following the umpire's refusal, the Indian camp appeared confused. Captain Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma believed that the ball had hit the bat before striking the pad, leading the team to decide against taking a Decision Review System (DRS) review. At that moment, Gurbaz was playing at only 11 runs. However, when the replay was shown on TV screens, the Indian fans and team management were left stunned. The replay clearly showed that there was no contact between the bat and the ball, and the ball was crashing into the upper part of the middle stump. Had India taken the review, the umpire would have had to overturn the decision, and Gurbaz would have been out. Rahmanullah Gurbaz capitalized on this major negligence and only left the crease after completing a magnificent century.
Gurbaz's Explosive Performance and Dismissal
Rahmanullah Gurbaz's innings was a masterclass in aggressive batting, as he scored a total of 102 runs off just 51 balls. 00. His dominance at the crease put the Indian bowling attack under immense pressure throughout the 25 over contest. Eventually, it was Nitish Kumar Reddy who brought an end to Gurbaz's rampage by delivering a perfect yorker that sent him back to the pavilion. Despite his dismissal, the damage had already been done, leaving the Indian team to reflect on the missed opportunity that allowed Gurbaz to change the course of the game.