IND vs AFG Ball by Ball Commentary

FOUR! KL Rahul manages to evade two fielders and finds the fence to seal the win. India win by 7 wickets to go 1-0 up in the series. Saleem takes pace off and goes fuller at the stumps. Rahul swings through the line of the ball. He is a bit early into the stroke and it is skied behind mid off. The mid off fielder turns around and goes after it. The long on fielder also converges, but the ball lands away from the reach of the two men. It bounces just in front of the long off fence and trickles into the boundary cushions.

Drags the length back now, on off. KL stabs it down on the off side.

FOUR! That has gone to the fence in a flash. Bowled at 145.6 kph, on a length, outside off. Rahul gets the width to work with and he cashes in. He slams it hard and wide of the mid off fielder to his left for another four. Just 4 more needed for India.

On a good length, on off, Gill punches it through point for a single.

FOUR! Nicely done! Saleem slips in a full ball, outside off. Gill hangs low and gets his bat under the ball. He opens the bat face and carves it over backward point for a boundary.

SIX! That has gone back many a mile. Rahul ends the over just the way he started. Rahman hurls it full, just outside the off stump. Rahul does not move his feet much and just lets his hands flow into the shot. Goes inside out over cover with a high elbow for half a dozen. 20 runs off the over, just the over India wanted. 13 more needed for the home side from 18 balls.

On a hard length, on off. Rahul taps it to cover.

Bump ball! Seam-up ball, very full, outside off. Rahul extends his hands to drive it through the off side. Gets an outside edge and it is taken behind by the keeper. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is up in an appeal and the umpire sends it upstairs. There was a deflection but the replays show that the ball went to the keeper on the bounce.

FOUR! Make that 14 runs off the first 3 balls. Rahman takes pace off and goes into the surface. Ends up being a bit too short and Rahul waits on it before swatting it with a flat bat to the left of long on for four more.

FOUR! A shot of high quality. Pace on now, on a good length, around off. Rahul arches back and plays the lofted hit on the rise. Goes inside out over cover and picks up a boundary. 10 runs off the first 2 balls. 23 needed off 22.

SIX! That will ease a bit of pressure for India. Pace off by Rahman, bowled into the surface and it is wide on off. Rahul is made to reach out, and he gets on his toes to slap it with a horizontal bat back over the bowler's head for a six.

Another quiet over. Keeps it full but this is flat, on middle. KL steps out and knocks it to long on for one more run. AM Ghazanfar is done for the night. No wicket to show for his efforts but an economical outing for him, conceding 28 runs from his 5 overs. India require 33 runs in 24 balls.

More air given by AM Ghazanfar but very full, on middle. Gill makes room but can't get under it. He powers it to the left of long off and is keen for the second but Rahul says no. 5 runs off the over with a ball to go.

Loopy ball, on middle. This is eased to long off by KL for a run.

Drops it short, on middle and leg. Shubman goes deep in the crease and goes hard on the pull. He mistimes it in front of square and crosses over.

A bit quicker through the air but the length stays full, on middle. Gill swings at it but it comes off the inner half and goes to the right of long on for a couple of runs.

Floated up, full and on middle, clipped to mid-wicket.

A dot to end the over, and India now need 39 runs off 30 balls. Good length on off and middle, tucked off the back foot towards mid-wicket. Rashid Khan is now bowled out.

Khan offers a lot more flight, enticing the batter and inducing a false shot as well. A tossed-up googly on middle, Gill heaves across the line but gets it off the inner half of the blade to long on for one.

Flatter this time, on off, Rahul goes back in his crease and pushes it in front of point for a quick single.

Nagging length, attacking the stumps again, Rahul works it to the right of the bowler. Another dot.

Nicely flighted, full and on middle, it is the googly. Rahul lunges and wrists it to square leg.

Rashid drags the length well short and Shubman Gill plays the short-arm jab wide of long on for a single.

A touch fuller, nipping it back in towards middle. Rahul pushes late at it and gets it towards mid off.

Back of a length, angled in at the hips, Gill nurdles it down through square leg and turns the strike over.

On the shorter side, over middle, pulled away to the right of the deep mid-wicket fielder for a couple of handy runs.

Good length in the channel, punched away to covers.

Back of a length, angling in, Rahul gets on his toes and pushes it down through covers for one. The 150 is up for India.

SIX! Oh, just over the fielder in the deep. A heavy short ball, darted in over off stump. KL Rahul leans back a bit, opens the bat face and ramps it over deep third for a six.

Should have been put away. Short and wide outside off, Shubman Gill stands tall and looks to cut but is beaten by the extra pace. 52 needed now off 42 balls.

Hard length, in and around off, Gill hangs back and plays it late, dabbing it down towards point.

Full-pitched delivery outside off. KL Rahul flashes hard at it and the ball goes quickly off the outside edge, down to deep third for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Afghanistan are still in it. On a good length, attacking the top of off. Shreyas Iyer leans across to the off side and tries to manufacture a big shot as he tries to muscle it across the line. Iyer ends up miscuing it to mid on and Mohammad Saleem takes a straightforward catch. Ziaur Rahman gets his maiden wicket in ODIs as well. India are 142/3. needing 53 runs from 45 balls.

FOUR! Not perfectly timed, but well enough by Iyer. A short ball, angled in over middle, Shreyas Iyer drags it from outside off and forces the pull over and in front of mid-wicket for a boundary.

Hard-length delivery outside off, cut hard but the ball rockets straight towards the fielder at deep backward point. Just a single, then.

A couple of tidy overs for Afghanistan, 5 runs off the last 12 balls. India now need 58 more runs off 48 balls. Dragged length on off, Shreyas Iyer presses back and defends it down the pitch.

On the pads, flicked away to deep square leg for one.

Half an appeal from the keeper for caught behind, but the umpire turns it down. No wide given either, and replays confirm that the ball did just flick the pad. Nagging length, just angled down leg. Gill leans on to flick but misses.

Length ball, darted into the pads. Gill nudges it across to mid-wicket.

Fuller one around off, driven towards cover, where the fielder lets it through and the batters get a single.

Play and a miss! Shorter and flatter, wide outside off. Iyer looks to cut but misses as this one stays a bit low as well.

The loopy slower one again, dips late on leg stump. Shreyas Iyer shuffles across to the off side and has to wait before shovelling it to deep mid-wicket for one more. 60 needed now off 54 balls.

Good length, slightly into the pitch, and around off. Iyer hops past the off stump to cover the line and blocks it off.

Just short! A length ball outside off, Shubman Gill gives the charge and slashes it over point. The man comes in quickly from the deep but the ball lands well short. Just a single.

Another slower one, this time a bumper. The ball comes in around head height and Gill controls the pull down to mid-wicket. Dot ball.

Nicely bowled. Slower one, full and straight, dips on the batter as well. Gill toe-ends it down to mid on.

On a good length, angled into middle and leg. Iyer tucks it down to fine leg and gets to the other end.

Keeps it full at 91.9 kph, on off. Iyer angles it to the right of point and keeps the strike with a single. 63 required off 60.

Fuller and angled into the pads. Shubman works it behind square leg and turns the strike over.

FOUR! Class written all over it. Rashid serves the leg-break, on off. Gill reaches out in front and goes with the spin. He lofts it inside out over and picks up his 10th four of the innings.

Bowls the googly, on a good length, on middle. Gill watchfully blocks this out.

Gets away with it. A rare loose ball from Rashid. A full toss, outside off, Iyer shanks it off the inner half to long on for a single.

A beauty from Rashid! Tossed up, it is the leg-break, around the off stump. Iyer lunges to push it down the ground. It spins away to beat the bat. Quick work from Rahmanullah Gurbaz to whip the bails off, but Shreyas had his back leg rooted to the ground inside the crease.

Bashes the hard length, over middle. Iyer swivels and pulls it aerially. The deep square leg fielder charges in but can only collect the ball on the bounce. A single for Shreyas. 70 needed off 66.

That went to the deep in a flash. A couple of yards to either side and that would have been a boundary. On a hard length, on off. Fast hands from Gill as he cuts it straight to the man at deep point. Just a single.

FOUR! Banged away! Saleem digs it in short, over off. Gill stands tall on top of the bounce and plays the short-arm pull over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Honing in on the off pole, on a good length at 141.4 kph. Gill defends it right under his eyes.

Nice and full, attacking the front pad. Shreyas brings his bat out in front and pushes it in front of mid on. They cross.

Sticks to the short ball, closer to the off stump. Iyer gets low to ramp it over the keeper but does not connect.

Wide! Bangs it in short first up, beyond the tramline on off. Iyer lets it go.

Drags the length back, outside off. This is cut away to deep point for a single by Iyer and he is off the mark.

OUT! CLEANED HIM UP! Rashid Khan breaks through for Afghanistan. It is the googly that does the trick for Rashid. Floated up from around the wicket, more on the fuller side and in line with the off stump. Kishan steps out and swings at it, looking to launch it down the ground. One hand comes off the bat handle, and he fails to get to the pitch of the ball. It spins past the outside edge to clatter into the off pole. The 70-run stand comes to an end. India are now 116/2, needing 79 runs off 73 balls.

Fine effort! A bit short, on off. Kishan punches it firmly down the strip. Rashid Khan flings himself to his right and makes the stop.

Turning back into the left-hander. Ishan steers this full ball to the right of deep point. A slight fumble in the deep from Rahmat Shah in the deep allows the batters to come back for the second run.

Flatter and shorter, on off. Gill jams it out wide of point for a single.

FOUR! Crunched away! Tossed up by Rashid, a bit too full, outside off. Gill stays leg side and gets his hands through to crack the drive wide of cover for a four.

Outside the off stump, on a length, driven to deep cover for one.

FOUR! It nearly went the distance. That brings up half-century number 18 for Shubman Gill. He took his time early on but is starting to cut loose now. Nabi drops it short, on middle. Gill rocks back and pummels it aerially towards deep mid-wicket. The ball bounces just in front of the boundary cushions.

Fired in at the stumps, Gill wrists it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! That brings up 3000 runs for Shubman Gill in ODIs. Full and quick, aimed at the stumps. Shubman springs onto the front foot and shows the full face of the bat. Powers it down the ground, and Ziaur Rahman at long on is beaten to his left despite the dive. According to Deep Dasgupta, Gill is the second fastest to reach the landmark (62 innings).

A bit fuller at the sticiks, Gill turns it to mid-wicket.

SIX! Not quite from the middle but it does the job for Gill. This is pushed through by Nabi, on the shorter side, on middle. It keeps a bit low but Shubman adjusts to pull it over mid-wicket. The fielder in the deep was interested for a moment but eventually watched the ball sail over his head. The 50-run stand comes up.

Sticks to the googly but the length is shorter this time, on middle. Gill works it with the spin through square leg for one more run. 10 runs off the over. 101 runs required in 84 balls.

Comes from around the wicket, it is the googly, on a length, outside off. Kishan angles it wide of point and takes a quick single.

Drags the length back now, on middle. Shubman hops back and taps it in front of square on the off side. They cross.

SIX! Clean strike! Quicker through the air at 95.8 kph, in the slot, on middle and leg. Gill clears the front leg and clobbers it way over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Angled into the pads, on a length. Gill is beaten on the flick and wears it on the front pad.

Flat and short bowled by Rashid, on middle. Ishan punches it to the right of mid-wicket and hurries to the other end.

A dot to end, and India need 111 more runs off 90 balls now. Pushed through quicker on off, Gill stays on the back foot and nudges it down to square leg.

Flatter one angled into the batter, Kishan goes back in his crease and works it through mid-wicket for one.

Fuller on off, a bit more round-arm as well. Kishan pushes it out in front of point.

SIX! Picked up and dispatched. Not all that short again, around middle, but Kishan isn't a tall man. He rocks back, picks the length quickly and heaves it in front of mid-wicket for a biggie.

Much better from Nabi. He sees Kishan advancing and drags the length back. The batter ends up blocking it off.

FOUR! A loosener to begin with and Ishan Kishan puts it away. Slow and short, drifting down leg. Ishan Kishan hangs back and swings it away to the left of deep backward square leg and picks up four runs.

Floated up, Kishan comes down the pitch and flicks it away in front of mid-wicket for a run. 122 required from 96 balls.

FOUR! Just a fraction shorter and Ishan Kishan pounces on it. Flatter and around middle, Kishan rocks back and short-arm pulls it towards cow corner for a boundary.

That's gone through the legs. Dragged length around leg, it is the leg break as well. Kishan backs away to heave it leg side, but the ball skids through and goes between his legs.

Tossed up, very full, and on middle and leg. Gill just taps it along the turf and down to long on for one more.

Quicker through the air, a bit fuller and around off. Kishan angles it towards backward point and picks up a single.

Khan starts with a flatter one on the pads, Kishan stays back and flicks it towards deep backward square leg for a brace.

FOUR! Crunched! Tossed up again, but well outside off. Shubman Gill dances down the pitch, reaches out and smacks it over cover-point for a boundary. 131 needed from 102 balls.

Floated up on off, Gill plays a flowing drive but hits it straight to extra cover.

Flatter one on middle, this one darts in and stays low as well. Shubman Gill looks to play with a straight bat but gets an inside edge onto the pads.

Dragged a bit short and outside off, this is hit away square through the off side for a single.

Good length around off, punched away of fthe back foot and to the left of sweeper cover for a couple of runs.

Flighted ball on leg, Gill swings wildly across the line and gets an inside edge to short fine leg. Single taken.

FOUR! Nicely done. A bit short over middle, Kishan is quick to get inside the line, and he lifts the back leg, whipping the ball off the hips and well to the right of fine leg for a boundary.

Hard length on the pads, tucked away wide to the right of deep fine leg for a couple of runs.

Good-looking shot but not quite in the gap. Back of a length and outside off, Saleem extracts a bit of extra bounce as well. Gill gets on his toes and powerfully punches it to the left of Sediqullah Atal at deep point. Atal does well to keep it down to a single and the 50 also comes up for India.

Pitched up on middle, targeting the stumps, Gill plays it with soft hands and pushes it into the off side.

A bit fuller, slanted across off. Kishan glides it off the face of the blade to deep third and rotates strike.

WIDE! Hammered in on a length and pushed wide of the off stump. Left alone by Kishan.

Half an appeal for LBW, nothing more. Good-length delivery around leg, skids through quickly. Ishan Kishan is taken aback and wears it on the thigh pad.

Fuller in length, around off, blocked down the pitch by Gill.

Fired into the pads, worked away wide of short fine leg for a single.

OUT! ROHIT SHARMA IS RUN OUT! Oh, deary me, Rohit Sharma will feel he's been sold down the river by Shubman Gill here. AM Ghazanfar bowls it a tad fuller on leg stump. Sharma leans on, shows the full face of the bat and pushes it towards mid on, setting off for the single right away. Gill calls 'NO' loudly as he is a bit blocked by the bowler, but Sharma is very late to turn back, and Gill just turns back, watching the ball as well. Rashid Khan throws it towards the keeper, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz whips off the bails. Sharma's dive goes in vain.

Full and fast, fired in well outside off. This is cut away to deep point for a single.

FOUR! Well in the gap. Dragged short over middle, Shubman Gill plays the cross-batted slog and swings it towards cow corner for a boundary.

Good length, jamming it into middle and leg. Rohit taps it through mid on for a run.

Just out of reach! Full marks for the effort to Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Saleem digs it on a hard length, over middle. Gill goes for the pull, but the ball climbs onto him to take the top edge. It sails over short fine leg. Gurbaz, with the gloves on, turns around and goes after it. He covered a lot of ground and extended his hands out, but could not lay even a hand on it, and the ball dropped out of his reach. Single taken.

Shubman Gill tries to manufacture a shot but misses it completely. Four dots in a row. Bashes the hard length, outside off. Gill backs away to flay it over cover but fails to connect.

An effort ball from Saleem. Delivers it on a back of a length, on off. Gill angles it to point.

A skiddy delivery, on a nagging length at 148.2 kph, on middle. Shubman keeps it out from the crease.

More like it from Saleem. On a good length, outside off. Shubman Gill pushes away from his body and he is lucky not to nick this one behind.

FOUR! Too straight, and these are easy pickings for the Indian skipper. Saleem serves a seam-up ball, it tails back in at the toes. Shubman gets his bat down and tickles it fine of the man at short fine leg.

Attacking the front pad, on a good length. Gill clips it through square leg and keeps the strike with a single.

A bit shorter, on off. Shubman pushes it to cover.

Pushed through, on a good length, on the off stump. Gill cuts but can't get it past backward point.

A loud shout for caught behind, but turned down. Rahmanullah Gurbaz seems to have heard something, and Hashmatullah Shahidi goes for the review. Shubman Gill shakes his head and has a smile on his face as he walks over towards Rohit Sharma. Loopy ball, near the tramline on off. Gill reaches out to go up and over cover. Gurbaz moves to his right and snaffles it before going up in an appeal. The ball is close to the outside edge, but it is a flat line on UltraEdge. Just like India, Afghanistan also lose an early review.

Shorter and on off, Gill punches it to the man at a catching cover.

FOUR! AM Ghazanfar is welcomed with a boundary. Floated up, just outside the off stump. Gill gets on the front foot and angles the bat face to thread the drive to the left of cover for a four.

FOUR! High and far enough. Not all that short from Omarzai, on middle. Rohit picks up the length quickly and unleashes the pull. It is skied a long way up but it drops safely in front of square on the leg side and trickles into the fence.

Omarzai serves it full at 132.8 kph, hooping back in, on middle and leg. Rohit tries to pick it up off the pads but ekes out an inside edge onto the front pad.

Hits the hard length, skidding through, on off. Sharma stabs it down on the off side.

SIX! A Rohit Sharma special. Fractionally short, on off. Rohit pivots and climbs onto it. He plays the pull off the front foot and deposits it over square leg.

Slightly fuller than the previous ball, around off. Sharma drops it with soft hands in front of cover. He is keen for a single but Gill sends him back.

Swinging away, on a back of a length, outside off. Rohit stands tall and punches it neatly but can't get it past AM Ghazanfar at cover-point.

Hurls it on a back of a length, on off, Shubman pats it off the back foot to point.

Rahman goes fuller now in search of swing. It curves back into the right-hander, on middle. Gill firms the drive down the ground. Hashmatullah Shahidi moves to his left at mid on and is late to get the dive in. The ball sneaks under his body and rolls behind. Shahidi did get a bit of hand on it, which slowed down the ball. It is cut off by Mohammad Nabi from mid off. Two runs taken.

Tries to bring the ball back into the right-hander and the length is pulled back, outside off. Gill knocks it from the crease to backward point.

FOUR! Majestic! Moving away in the air at 131.7 kph, on a length, on off. Gill presses onto the front foot, and he does not try to overhit this one. Plays a punchy drive through covers and it races away.

Leg bye! A little too straight, on the pads, on a good length. Sharma fails to help it away. A leg bye is taken as the ball drops off the pads beside the strip on the leg side.

FOUR! Fine shot. Rahman begins with a back-of-a-length ball, outside off. Rohit lets the ball come to him and gets on his toes to ride the bounce. Punches it behind point and picks up his first boundary. No sign of discomfort for Sharma after playing the shot.

Shaping back in, on a back of a length. Gill gets on his toes to turn it away, but misses and wears it on the hips. A decent comeback by Azmatullah Omarzai after a wayward start to the over.

Out comes the inswinger, on a good length, on middle. Rohit nudges it to deep fine leg and gets off the mark with a single.

On the fuller side, a hint of away shape, in the channel. Rohit makes the leave.

A bit of lift off the deck, on a short of a length, over off. Rohit rises with the bounce and taps it back to the bowler. He takes the bottom hand off the handle and grimaces in pain as he walks away to his left.

Dishes it out on a back of a length, on top of off. Rohit defends it late and right under his eyes.

Oh, Rohit Sharma has copped a painful blow. Dug in short by at 137 kph, over middle and leg. Rohit swivels for the pull but is early into the shot and he fails to lay any bat on it. The ball pings him on the right wrist and balloons behind. Rohit drops his bat and wrings his hand in pain.

Wide! Omarzai takes pace off and goes full but this is beyond the tramline on off. Rohit swings but fails to connect.

NO BALL! This tails down leg, on a back of a length. Sharma misses out on the tickle. Oh, Azmatullah Omarzai has overstepped. Free Hit coming up.

FIVE WIDES! Wayward start from Azmatullah Omarzai. That swung away a long way but it started well wide on off and kept curving away in the air. The keeper, Rahmanullah Gurbaz dives to his right and gets a hand on it. The ball goes through the legs of Sediqullah Atal at slip and races down to the fence.