The morning in Dharamsala was grey and unforgiving. A persistent drizzle delayed the toss by four hours and fifteen minutes, ultimately forcing the match to be reduced to 25 overs per side[reference:0]. When the skies finally cleared and play began at 4:35 PM IST, India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that seemed perfect for the overcast conditions[reference:1].

Afghanistan’s innings started with intent — Rahmanullah Gurbaz launched the very first over for a four and a six off Arshdeep Singh, signalling that he had no intention of playing conservatively. But India’s debutants had other plans. Gurnoor Brar, handed the ball for his first over in international cricket, struck with his fifth delivery, removing Ibrahim Zadran for just 1 run[reference:2]. In the very next over, Arshdeep Singh trapped Sediqullah Atal lbw for a first‑ball duck after a successful review[reference:3]. Two wickets. Five runs. Afghanistan were reeling.

Then came the third blow. Arshdeep, bowling with the intensity of a man possessed, struck again — this time dismissing Rahmat Shah for 1, with debutant Harsh Dubey taking a sharp catch at short mid‑wicket[reference:4]. Afghanistan were 27/3 in the fifth over. The Indian pacers had reduced one of the most dangerous top orders in world cricket to rubble. The script was unfolding exactly as India had written it.

But no one had read the final page.

From 27/3, the onus fell on captain Hashmatullah Shahidi to repair the innings. For the first few overs, he and Gurbaz were content with rotating the strike. But as the powerplay ended and India introduced spin, Gurbaz saw an opportunity. Off the first ball of the seventh over, bowled by Harsh Dubey, Gurbaz swept him for four. Two balls later, he danced down the track and launched the ball over long‑off for six[reference:5]. The momentum had shifted in the space of three deliveries.

What followed was a masterclass in controlled aggression. Gurbaz brought up his fifty in just 26 balls — the fastest half‑century of his ODI career. Then, with the target of a century in sight, he accelerated even further. A six off Dubey brought up the 100‑run partnership with Shahidi. Then, facing Prasidh Krishna, he smashed three consecutive boundaries — a flick, a cut, and a lofted drive — to race into the 90s. The century came off just 48 balls, making him the first Afghan batter to reach three figures in under 50 deliveries[reference:6], and the second‑fastest centurion against India in ODI history.

By the time he fell, caught brilliantly at long‑off by Nitish Kumar Reddy, he had scored 102 runs. His innings included 8 fours and 8 sixes, at a strike rate of 212.50. Afghanistan, once 27/3, had been propelled to 241/5, a total that seemed impossible just ten overs earlier.

As Gurbaz reached his hundred, he didn’t just raise his bat — he exploded. He jumped in the air, roared at the Afghanistan dugout, and then, in a moment that has since been replayed millions of times, he kissed the pitch, pointed to the sky, and fell to his knees. Teammates rushed from the dressing room, and the Afghanistan bench — captain Hashmatullah Shahidi, coach Jonathan Trott, and even the support staff — were on their feet, applauding.

The video of the celebration, posted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board on X, went viral within minutes. Within two hours, it had crossed five million views. Fans flooded the comments with heart emojis, fire symbols, and messages of pride. It wasn’t just a century — it was a statement. Gurbaz, who had been part of two heartbreaking Super Over defeats earlier this year, was finally on the winning side of a thriller.