“I had asked the umpire if I can wear a glove in one hand, but he said no,” Axar Patel stated to Murali Kartik during the mid-innings conversation. “(Maine umpire se poocha tha ki main ek haath me gloves pehen ke bowling kar lu, lekin unhone mana kar diya)
In the opening Twenty20 International of the three-match series, India defeated Afghanistan by six wickets on Thursday, January 11 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. Afghanistan achieved a score of 158/5 in their allocated 20 overs after being placed to bat first. India responded by reaching the mark in 17.3 overs because to a standout batsman in Shivam Dube, who scored 60* (40).
Axar Patel was India’s best bowler with the ball, taking down Rahmat Shah and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a combined 2/23 in four overs.
But the left-arm spinner found it difficult to hold onto the ball in Mohali’s chilly conditions. He even made a joke about bowling with gloves on his right hand when speaking after the game, but the umpire turned down his request.
“I wasn’t feeling the ball, it was very cold. We were aware that it was winter and would be chilly, but my sole concern was how to exert pressure on them in my bowling. Though there was a lot of dew, I concentrated on being accurate,” he continued.
The 29-year-old, who has claimed 38 wickets from 34 innings at an average of 23.78 and an economy of 7.53, has notably been in excellent form in Twenty20 Internationals since 2021. In the most recent Twenty20 International, he helped India win the series by scalping 3/16 against Australia in Raipur.
Shivam Dube’s performance overall was impressive.
Returning to the game, Shivam Dube’s all-around performance—he collected 1/9 in his two overs while accounting for skipper Ibrahim Zadran—earned him the title of Player of the Match. After entering the bat at number four, the southpaw batted through the innings and produced an outstanding 60* off 40, blasting five fours and two sixes.
In the meantime, India will try to win the series in the second Twenty20 International on Sunday, January 14 at Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. India has already established a 1-0 lead in the series.
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