India’s captain Rohit Sharma faced a disappointing T20I comeback against Afghanistan at the PCA Stadium in Mohali, as he was dismissed for a duck. Returning to T20I cricket after a 14-month hiatus, Rohit’s evening with the bat took an unexpected turn when he got involved in a mix-up with fellow opener Shubman Gill, resulting in his run-out on the second ball of the innings.
This marked Rohit Sharma’s first T20I match since India’s defeat against England in the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Notably, it was also his first appearance in a white-ball international match since India’s loss in the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia in November 2023.
Here is the video of the dismissal of Rohit Sharma:
A big mix-up between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Rohit Sharma goes for a duck.#INDvAFG #RohitSharma𓃵 pic.twitter.com/vPT8wPHrB1
— Ramsa Chaudhary (@Ramkishor_jaat_) January 11, 2024
Rohit sharma run out… #RohitSharma #Gill #INDvAFG #IndianCricket pic.twitter.com/1qFr1aG282
— cricket squad (@cricketsquad4) January 11, 2024
Facing a target of 159 runs set by Afghanistan in Mohali, India experienced a shaky start, with Axar Patel and Shivam Dube taking three quick wickets after a steady 50-run opening stand between skipper Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
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However, a resilient partnership between Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai, contributing 68 runs, brought Afghanistan back into the game. Omarzai, scoring 29 runs off 22 balls, was eventually dismissed by pacer Mukesh Kumar in the 18th over.
Nabi, who smashed 42 runs off 27 balls with two boundaries and three maximums, fell shortly after to Mukesh, who secured his second wicket of the evening. Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat made valuable contributions, guiding Afghanistan to a total of 158 for 5 in 20 overs in the first innings.
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Despite the challenges, India maintains an impeccable record against Afghanistan in the shortest format, having won four out of their five encounters, with one match ending in a no-result. As the T20I series unfolds, India aims to continue its successful run against Afghanistan and build momentum for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
