The Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow witnessed another exciting battle between India and Afghanistan During the second ODI of the series on Wednesday, June 17. The visitors took an early lead after Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field first. Muhammad Salim Safi was fired Yashasvi Jaiswal.
But India recovered quickly through the skipper Rohit Sharmawho looked in sublime contact from the very beginning of his innings. The veteran opener played with authority against both pace and spin, finding boundaries regularly and helping India to 80 runs in the first ten overs. Afghanistan’s first spinner just when a half-century looked inevitable Rashid Khan presented a brilliant moment.
Rashid Khan’s trademark finish to Rohit Sharma’s fluent knock
The decisive moment came on the first ball of the 14th over. Probing from one end, Rashid brought out his trademark to completely fool the Indian skipper. Rashid returned the short ball to the right wing defender. Rohit misread the variation and rooted on the back foot as he tried to bring his bat down at the last moment. The ball clipped the inside edge, passing through the narrow gap between bat and pad before crashing into the stumps.
The dismissal ended an entertaining innings of 48 runs off 39 deliveries that included six boundaries and two powerful sixes. Rohit, who was poised for a crucial score, was disappointed to be just two runs short of his fifty. The Afghanistan players celebrated as Rashid once again demonstrated why he remains one of the most dangerous spinners in world cricket. The wicket was of particular importance given Rohit’s dominance of the bowling attack during the powerplay and early middle overs.
We present the video:
🚨 ROHIT SHARMA IS OUT! 🚨
– Rashid Khan casts pure magic from the Afghan magician
– Sharma makes a good 48 for 39! pic.twitter.com/TNavNQNa3K
— Talha Nawaz (@TalhaDigital007) June 17, 2026
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Despite Rohit Sharma’s departure, India remain in control
Before Rashid’s breakthrough, Rohit had laid a strong foundation for the hosts with aggressive but controlled shots. The Indian skipper went early with a boundary in the second before unleashing back-to-back sixes to put the Afghanistan bowlers under pressure.
His positive approach saw India post a healthy score and the hosts were 96/2 by the time he departed. Goalkeeper Ishan brought Kishi to the crease Shubman Gillcreating unexpected mid-level partnerships. The duo responded brilliantly to the challenge and ensured there was no loss of momentum. Gill continued to anchor the innings while Kishan played a natural attacking game, allowing India to keep the scoreboard going at a high pace.
Their partnership crossed the 50-run mark in just 47 deliveries, frustrating Afghanistan’s bowlers despite Rohit’s crucial scalp. At the time of writing, India were comfortably placed at 146/2 after 21 overs with Gill and Kishan firmly in control. While Rashid’s spell of magic provided Afghanistan with a moment to remember, India’s strong batting platform ensured that they were well positioned to post a high score in the second ODI.
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