5 runs gift, 2 no balls, 2 wides: Afghanistan hit rock bottom in ODI series vs India

The tour of India was by no means pleasant for Afghanistan. From being hammered in the One Test at Mullanpur to losing the ODI series, the Afghans have had a tough tour of India. On Saturday, the visitors had a chance to make amends in the third and final ODI at Chepauk, which was already dead, given that Afghanistan had already given up the series.

Instead, they made it worse. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi battled cramps on his way to his first ODI century but the milestone was overshadowed. They were awarded five penalty runs before India’s 219-run chase began, effectively reducing the target to 214 in 50 overs.

India vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI: Update | Scorecard

This was because the Shahidis and the Afghans were punished for running in a dangerous area. As if that wasn’t enough, Azmatullah Omarzai had a premiere he would like to forget. He conceded 23 runs in the opening match as India posted their highest ever score in the first innings of an ODI, surpassing the previous score of 22 against Bangladesh in Colombo in 2004 at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Omarzai was all over the place after he bowled two wides and two no balls. Immediately Shahidi took him out of the attack and brought in left arm Fareed Ahmed to line up alongside Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.

HOW AZMAT MATTERED IN THE FIRST PRESS

Omarzai had a nightmare opening as he struggled to find control from the first ball. He started with a wayward delivery outside off stump that was comfortably left alone, followed by a wide one that drifted down the leg side.

The skipper then bowled a backhand delivery that was worked for a few runs, but the pressure quickly mounted when Yashasvi Jaiswal punished a short and wide ball with a sharp cut for four. To make matters worse, Omarzai also bowled a no-ball.

Then, on a free, Omarzai lost his rhythm again and sent down another wide while still looking for control. In the same free-hitting sequence, he crossed once more when Jaiswal drilled the ball for four over midwicket, with Rahmat Shah unable to get over and stop. Although Sediqullah Atal caught this delivery, it didn’t count due to a free hit.

Omarzai then produced another loose short ball that Jaiswal smashed for four before finally hitting a decent length that was solidly defended.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

20 Jun 2026 18:35 IST