After four hours of rain delays, the match was reduced to 25 overs per side. India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that seemed validated when debutant Gurnoor Brar struck with his fifth delivery in international cricket to remove Ibrahim Zadran. Arshdeep Singh then trapped Sediqullah Atal lbw for a first‑ball duck, and soon removed Rahmat Shah for 3. Afghanistan were 26/3 in 4.3 overs.

Then came Rahmanullah Gurbaz. From the rubble of the collapse, he produced one of the most audacious counter‑attacks in ODI history. He reached his fifty in just 25 balls — the fastest half‑century by an Afghan against India. He then accelerated further, reaching his century off 48 deliveries, making him the first Afghan batter to score a three‑figure knock in under 50 balls, and the second‑fastest centurion against India in ODIs (only Shahid Afridi’s 45‑ball hundred in 2005 is quicker). His 102 off 48 included 8 fours and 8 sixes, at a strike rate of 212.50.

However, once he was dismissed by a dream yorker from Nitish Kumar Reddy, Afghanistan’s innings imploded. They lost their last seven wickets for just 52 runs, collapsing from 142/3 to 194 all out. Debutants Gurnoor Brar (3/27) and Harsh Dubey (3/47) finished off the tail with precision.

Chasing 195 in 25 overs, India lost an early wicket when a miscommunication between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill led to a run‑out. Rohit had looked in good touch, striking two fours and a six, but his innings was cut short after a mix‑up saw him stranded halfway down the pitch. Rashid Khan’s direct hit caught him short. Rohit walked off visibly frustrated, shaking his head.

However, the young captain Shubman Gill took complete control. He anchored the chase with elegance and aggression, finding gaps at will. He reached his 18th ODI fifty in just 37 balls, then accelerated further. Along the way, he became the fastest Indian to reach 3,000 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in only 62 innings — second only to Hashim Amla’s 57 innings overall.

Ishan Kishan, returning to the ODI squad after more than two years, contributed a brisk 32 off 24 balls before falling to Rashid Khan. Then KL Rahul walked in and finished the game in style, smashing 39 off just 19 deliveries, including four boundaries and two sixes. Rahul’s winning six in the 23rd over sealed a comprehensive seven‑wicket victory for India. Gill remained unbeaten on 84 off 66 balls, a knock that earned him the Player of the Match award.

The match produced two moments that set social media on fire. The first was Shubman Gill’s spectacular one‑handed catch at slip to dismiss AM Ghazanfar — a reflex grab that drew instant comparisons to MS Dhoni’s legendary keeping. Fans flooded platforms with clips and praise for the young captain’s athleticism.

The second was Rohit Sharma’s run‑out — a miscommunication with Gill that saw the veteran opener stranded and visibly furious. Rohit’s reaction — shaking his head and gesturing angrily as he walked off — became an instant meme. The incident sparked debate among fans about who was at fault, but both players played down the incident in the post‑match presentation, calling it “a misunderstanding” and “part of the game.”