Prasidh grabs five in Chennai, Afghanistan fold for 218: 3rd ODI Match Report
Prasidh’s Early Onslaught Puts India in Control
In a thrilling encounter in Chennai, Prasidh grabs five in Chennai, Afghanistan fold for 218 as India’s pace spearhead dismantled the opposition batting lineup with an extraordinary opening spell. Prasidh Krishna’s maiden five-wicket haul in Indian colors laid the foundation for absolute dominance, though the visitors fought back through a fighting century from skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi and a half-century from Azmatullah Omarzai.
The Powerplay Blitz
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the Afghanistan top order ran straight into a storm. The Chennai surface offered ample swing and extra bounce early on, which the Indian bowlers, spearheaded by Prasidh, exploited to perfection. Prasidh was virtually unplayable during the Powerplay, returning remarkable figures of 4 for 6 in his first five overs. The speedster repeatedly beat the bat before reaping his rewards.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz attempted to drive a full delivery on the up, only to find a thick outside edge that flew to Rohit Sharma at first slip. Rahmat Shah tried to work a delivery to the leg side but succumbed to a leading edge, while Ibrahim Zadran fell in almost identical fashion to Gurbaz. With Rohit Sharma exhibiting sharp reflexes at first slip to grab three quick catches, Afghanistan found themselves in deep trouble. When Darwish Rasooli tried to disrupt Prasidh’s rhythm by hitting him off his spot, he could only sky a drive to Shreyas Iyer, who ran back smartly from cover to complete a brilliant catch. At 36 for 4, Afghanistan looked in danger of being bowled out for a double-digit score.
The Resilient Stand
Enter Azmatullah Omarzai and captain Hashmatullah Shahidi. The duo undertook a massive rebuilding job. Omarzai broke the shackles by hitting four boundaries between the 11th and 14th overs. Shahidi, though initially uneasy against the short ball, managed to pull Prince Yadav for a boundary to get his innings underway.
India’s captain introduced the spin of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harsh Dubey after 15 overs, followed by Washington Sundar. Afghanistan took advantage of the change in pace. Shahidi targeted Dubey, hitting him for a four and a six, which forced a change in the bowling attack. Both batters paced their innings beautifully, bringing up their respective half-centuries just two overs apart and registering a vital 105-run partnership to rescue the innings.
Pace Breaks the Partnership
The return of Prince Yadav’s pace finally broke the dangerous stand. Omarzai attempted to hook a sharp bouncer but succeeded only in picking out the fielder at deep fine leg, departing after a well-made 50. This brought Mohammad Nabi to the crease, who joined forces with Shahidi to stitch together another crucial 57-run partnership. Shahidi, by now well-settled, showed great adaptability, overcoming his early struggles against the bouncer to play fine pulls and ramps, accumulating five boundaries by the 36th over.
The Infamous Pitch Penalty and Collapse
Despite their recovery, Afghanistan’s discipline faltered, particularly regarding running on the pitch. Shahidi had already received warnings for running on the danger area. The collapse began when Nabi was clean bowled by Gurnoor Brar while trying to anticipate a bouncer. The ultimate turning point occurred at the end of the 40th over when Shahidi ran on the danger area for the third time. The umpires immediately imposed a strict five-run penalty, meaning India will begin their chase at 5 for no loss without facing a single delivery.
This penalty also cost Afghanistan momentum and strike rotation. What followed was a dramatic meltdown as Afghanistan lost three wickets in the space of just seven deliveries. Rashid Khan holed out to deep cover off Harsh Dubey’s bowling. On the very next ball, Allah Ghazanfar was run out as Shahidi desperately tried to keep the strike. The confusion reached its peak on the subsequent delivery when Fareed Ahmad was run out for a golden duck. Shahidi pushed for a non-existent single off the first ball of the next over, allowing Shubman Gill to execute his second run-out assist in consecutive balls.
Shahidi’s Ton and Prasidh’s Five-For
From a comfortable 203 for 6, Afghanistan collapsed to a precarious 206 for 9, leaving Shahidi’s hundred in jeopardy. Ziaur Rahman played a vital supporting role, blocking out five crucial deliveries to allow his captain to face 11 of the next 12 balls. Shahidi safely navigated the pressure to bring up a superb 128-ball century. However, his heroic innings came to an end when he pulled a Prasidh bouncer straight to deep midwicket, giving the Indian speedster his fifth wicket of the match. Afghanistan’s innings concluded at 218 with 28 balls left unplayed, leaving India with a target of 214 to chase, thanks to the five-run penalty.
