India completed a 3-0 ODI series sweep over Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday with a commanding nine-wicket win, thanks to fast bowler Prasidh Krishna‘s first five-wicket haul and Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s fluid unbeaten century.
Despite skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi scoring his first ODI century with a score of 102, India was able to bowl out Afghanistan for 218 in 44. 2 overs thanks to Prasidh’s incredible statistics of 5-23 in nine overs, which included four wickets during the power play thanks to his pace, bounce, and swing.
Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma (who made 79) scored 170 together in the first over, five of which were penalty runs. As India concluded the chase with 128 balls left, Jaiswal then went on to score an undefeated 110 runs in 86 balls, hitting 14 boundaries and three sixes for his second ODI century in three innings.
Under Shubman Gill’s captaincy in ODIs, India also claimed their maiden series victory with this win.
India started well, with Rohit and Jaiswal negotiating the initial movement and scoring boundaries through clean drives and cuts to reach 42 without loss at the end of the fifth over.
In the seventh over, Jaiswal stepped on the gas by hitting a deluge of boundaries against Fareed Ahmad. India was able to reach 86 runs without losing a wicket at the end of the Powerplay thanks to additional strike rotation and boundaries.
Jaiswal and Rohit kept up the pressure since Afghanistan didn’t raise many questions, and the former hit his half-century off 38 balls in the 11th over with a confident drive to long-off. In the 16th over, Rohit also found his stride and scored his half-century in 47 balls.
Despite a blunder that almost resulted in a run-out, Rohit and Jaiswal hit loose balls and rotated the strike while Afghanistan utilized spinners Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi to control the flow.
Rohit provided the customary support at the other end after a scratchy start, while Jaiswal’s placement and timing were especially impressive.
Rohit was removed for a well-made 79 in the 23rd over by Nabi after he pulled to deep mid-wicket. Jaiswal kept up his control as Shreyas Iyer came out to the middle. Jaiswal and Iyer exchanged blows and punished anything brief because the required pace was low.
Afghanistan’s bowlers worked tirelessly for breakthroughs, but fielding blunders and misfields proved costly. With a magnificent inside-out drive over additional cover off Nabi, Jaiswal shifted gears as the finish approached and scored his century off 83 balls.
Before sweeping and lofting the final delivery over long-on, he ended the chase undoubtedly.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan 218 all out in 44.2 overs (Hashmatullah Shahidi 102, Azmatullah Omarzai 50; Prasidh Krishna 5-23, Harsh Dubey 1-38)
India 224/1 in 28.4 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 110 not out, Rohit Sharma 79; Mohammad Nabi 1-47)