Afghanistan Shows Resistance After Early Wickets, Partnership Builds

4

Overs20.1

Score106 - 4

Harsh Dubey to Hashmatullah Shahidi, FOUR! That's nicely done. Slanted across the left-hander, Hashmatullah Shahidi hangs back to play a late cut, but gets it more off the outside edge, and the ball rolls away into the deep third fence.

Nitish Kumar Reddy walked gingerly back to his mark for his final delivery. But he managed to complete the over. Probably the niggle that kept him out of the previous game still persists.

0

Overs19.6

Score102 - 4

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, A bit of extra bounce this time. Bowled on a good length, on off. Omarzai shapes up to play it on the rise but the ball catches him on the splice of the bat and he mistimes the shot to cover.

6

Overs18.6

Score99 - 4

Harsh Dubey to Azmatullah Omarzai, SIX! Just over! Floated up a touch, on off and middle. Azmatullah Omarzai gets low and swings through the line. He does not quite get hold of it, and Prince Yadav is interested for a moment as he runs to his left and leaps but the ball sails over his head.

1

Overs18.5

Score93 - 4

Harsh Dubey to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Direct hit! Sliding across, full in length. Shahidi lunges and drops it with soft hands in front of cover before hurrying to the other end. Yashasvi Jaiswal swoops in, picks the ball up and has a shy at the batting end. The third umpire is summoned for a check. The replays find Omarzai to be safe as he got his bat before the ball hit the stumps.

4

Overs17.5

Score88 - 4

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR! Up and over! This is on a length, on middle. Omarzai does not move his feet much but extends his hands into the lofted drive. It comes off the bottom half but goes over Prasidh Krishna at mid on. Prasidh gives chase and slides, but in vain. The 50-run stand comes up between this pair.

1

Overs16.2

Score81 - 4

Harsh Dubey to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Drops it shorter, on off. Shahidi rocks back and punches it uppishly but away from the bowler to his left. Single taken as the ball rolls to long on.

1

Overs16.1

Score80 - 4

Harsh Dubey to Azmatullah Omarzai, A bit of turn first up. Flighted delivery, full and on middle. A hint of away turn. Azmatullah Omarzai pushes out in front. It goes off the outer half wide of point for a single.

1

Overs15.6

Score79 - 4

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, In line with the off stump. Azmatullah drills this full ball to cover, where the ball gets to Yashasvi Jaiswal at an awkward height. He can only make a half-stop and the batters sneak in a single.

1

Overs15.4

Score77 - 4

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, Floated up, on the pads, Azmatullah clips it wide of mid-wicket, where Shreyas Iyer makes the stop by moving to his right but he can't prevent the batters from taking the single.

4

Overs15.1

Score75 - 4

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Hashmatullah Shahidi, FOUR! Swatted away! Reddy goes searching for the yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, on off. Shahidi clears the front leg and smears it mid-wicket and mid on for a boundary. 4000 List A runs for Hashmatullah Shahidi.

1nb

Overs15.1

Score70 - 4

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Hashmatullah Shahidi, No Ball! A false start for Reddy as he has overstepped. Begins with a full ball from around the wicket, on off. Shahidi drives it crisply to cover. Fourth no ball of the innings. Free Hit coming up.

DRINKS! Finally, a bit of resistance shown by Afghanistan after those early wickets and Azmatullah Omarzai looks in good touch here. He is well-supported so far by the skipper as well, but India will be very happy with how the first 15 overs have played out. Prasidh Krishna has been sensational, and Gurnoor Brar has bowled well, but perhaps now it is time to shake things up a bit on the bowling front. India will be aware that a couple of more wickets here, and the lower order will be exposed. The next 5-10 overs could be crucial for both sides. Nitish Kumar Reddy to have a bowl now.

0

Overs14.2

Score64 - 4

Prince Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Goes wide on the crease and hurls it on a good length, on off. Shahidi defends it from the crease.

2

Overs14.1

Score64 - 4

Prince Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Speared in, full and on the pads. Hashmatullah Shahidi makes use of the angle and flicks it to the left of mid on for a couple of runs.

0

Overs13.6

Score62 - 4

Gurnoor Brar to Azmatullah Omarzai, Hits the bat hard, does Brar. On a nagging length, on off. Omarzai presents a straight bat for the block. It squirts off the outer half to point.

4

Overs13.5

Score62 - 4

Gurnoor Brar to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR! Fine shot! Another ball on the shorter side, on off. Omarzai gets on his toes and with a high elbow, he punches it nicely past point for a boundary.