India registered a dominant nine-wicket win over Afghanistan in the third ODI to complete a clean 3-0 series sweep. Chasing a target of 219, India reached the score in just 28.4 overs, losing only one wicket in the process.
Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered a brilliant century, while Rohit Sharma contributed a solid 79. Prasidh Krishna stood out with the ball and was named Player of the Match for his five-wicket haul.
Batting first, Afghanistan struggled early after losing four wickets for just 36 runs. The top order collapsed quickly under pressure from the Indian bowling attack, putting the team on the back foot from the start.
Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai then stabilised the innings with a 105-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Shahidi scored a composed 102 off 131 balls, while Omarzai added a steady 50 from 56 deliveries. Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for 218 in 44.2 overs.
Prasidh Krishna was the most effective bowler for India, finishing with figures of 5 for 23. He dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli and Hashmatullah Shahidi, breaking the backbone of the Afghan batting lineup.
In the chase, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal provided India with a strong and confident start. The opening pair put together a commanding 170-run stand, taking the game away from Afghanistan early.
Rohit Sharma scored 79 runs from 69 balls before being dismissed by Mohammad Nabi. Jaiswal continued his fine form, reaching his century in 83 balls and remaining unbeaten on 110. Shreyas Iyer stayed not out on 20 as India comfortably finished the chase.
Jaiswal’s century was especially significant as he entered the ODI series after a lean patch and had also failed in the second ODI. Despite the pressure, he delivered a strong performance in the final match.
However, even after this impressive knock, his place in India’s ODI setup may not be completely secure. With Virat Kohli expected to return for the upcoming England ODI series, competition for a spot in the playing XI is likely to intensify.
