Rahmanullah Gurbaz lit up Dharamsala with the fastest ODI hundred by an Afghan batter

The Dharamsala crowd’s four-hour wait despite Saturday’s rain delay was probably worth it after Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz produced one of the most breathtaking ODI knocks in recent times.

After rain reduced the match to a 25-over-a-side contest, the Afghanistan opener smashed a blazing hundred off just 48 balls, the fastest by an Afghan batsman in ODI history. Gurbaz’s innings helped Afghanistan stay in the game after being reduced to 26/3 in the first over.

IND vs AFG 1st ODI Live Update | Scorecard

It was also the second fastest ODI hundred against India, behind only Shahid Afridi’s blitzkrieg in 2005 when he reached the milestone in just 45 balls.

Gurbaz’s stunning century featured 8 fours and 8 sixes as he dismantled every bowler in the Indian attack. While the rest of the batting line-up struggled against the striking approach of Arshdeep Singh and debutant Gurnoor Brar, Gurbaz looked in complete control for most of his innings.

The batsman was lucky to survive a loud LBW appeal from Arshdeep in the first over as the left-arm pacer trapped him in front. After the umpire dismissed it, India opted not to review as they believed there was an inside edge.

Records later confirmed that Gurbaz would have been gone if captain Shubman Gill had decided to go up.

After surviving the early stages, Gurbaz realized there was no point in sitting back against the vans that were pouring around. Instead, he took the proactive route, charging down the track and unleashing sixes off the front foot. Anything short disappeared into the wicket square as he repeatedly found gaps behind point.

Gurbaz really switched gears when Shubman Gill introduced debutant Harsh Dubey in the eighth over. The Afghan opener took 11 off Dubey in an over that gave away 16 runs for Afghanistan. From there it became a relentless attack that pushed India back despite their three wickets in the opening five overs.

Gurbaz was eventually dismissed by Nitish Kumar Reddy in the 16th over after the medium pacer fired in a sequence of yorkers. One finally crept up and rattled the stumps.

Gurbaz’s hundred placed him second in the list of fastest ODI hundreds against India, behind Shahid Afridi.

FASTEST ODI HUNDREDS AGAINST INDIA

1. Shahid Afridi: 45 balls in 2005
2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz: 48 balls in 2026
3. James Faulkner: 57 balls in 2013
4. AB de Villiers: 57 balls in 2015
5. Michael Bracewell: 57 balls in 2023

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

13 Jun 2026 19:41 IST