As Shubman Gill battled cramps, Lucknow warmed up for Afghanistan’s heroic century

Shubman Gill scored a scintillating century against Afghanistan to guide India to an impressive 170-run victory and an elusive 2-0 lead in the three-match series. The knock, however, was far from simple as Gill battled cramps and the sweltering Lucknow heat to produce a captaincy innings of the highest quality.

Which made the century all the more remarkable was a physical challenge that he overcame. The 26-year-old, who had been batting around 40 overs in challenging conditions at the Ekana Stadium, started struggling with cramps in the latter stages of the innings. Despite the discomfort, he continued to run hard between the wickets and maintained an attacking approach against the Afghan bowlers.

IND vs AFG, 2nd ODI Highlights | Scorecard

Gill ended up scoring a magnificent 154 off 110 balls, smashing 22 fours and two sixes before left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharoti ended his innings. After the match, Gill admitted that the extreme heat had taken a significant toll on his body, making his effort to win the match all the more impressive.

“It hurts a bit. I got a lot of cramps when I went out to bat. It was really hot and I ended up batting almost 40-45 overs, so my body started cramping in different areas. But it’s much better now,” Shubman said.

“SHUBMAN GILL IN A GOOD SPACE”

Gill has been in impressive form to become the top scorer of the ongoing series. He amassed 238 runs in just two matches at a staggering average of 238 and a strike rate of 135.22. The India captain said he was confident in his game and focused on batting deep into the innings to ensure he converted his starts into substantial scores more consistently.

“Honestly, I’m in a really good space right now. The ball is going exactly where I want it to go and I feel very confident from the first ball. Throughout this series, I’ve made it a goal to stay at the crease, finish the matches and bowl 40-45 overs to build that habit. Whenever I start, I want to turn it into a big score,” he said.

Having already clinched the series, Gill and India will look to complete a clean sweep when they take on Afghanistan in the third and final ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on June 20.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

17 Jun 2026 23:25 IST