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Shubman Gill scored his first century after taking charge as India's full-time ODI skipper, and Ishan Kishan played a blistering knock, which helped India post 402 runs on board in the second ODI against Afghanistan at Ekana Stadium here on Wednesday.
Asked to bat first, the Men in Blue started with Yashasvi Jaiswal and veteran Rohit Sharma. Mohammad Saleem Safi got the first breakthrough of the match when he dismissed Jaiswal in his first over. Gill came to bat at number three and joined Sharma at the crease after that. The former skipper shifted his batting gears and hit six fours and a couple of sixes before missing out on a well-deserved half-century as Rashid Khan bowled him at the score of 48 runs. Kishan came to bat at number four and kept the scorecard moving with his big shots. Gill reached his fifty with a six off Nangeyalia Kharote in the 17th over. He went on to a couple of fours in the next over of Safi. Then Kishan shifted gears and Safi for a six, Hashmatullah Shahidi for a boundary and three boundaries in Bilal Sami's next over. Kishan completed his half-century with a boundary off Shahidi in the 28th over. Gill kept finding rotating strikes from one end and went into the 90s. Kishan kept going big from the other end and joined him. Bilal Sami came to bowl the 33rd over, and with a boundary on the first delivery, Gill completed his 9th ODI century. This was his first ODI hundred after taking charge as ODI skipper. Kishan hit the hat-trick of boundaries in the last three deliveries of Sami's over to complete his century as well. It was his second ODI century. After completing his fifty in 52 balls, he scored the next 53 runs off just 19 balls. The duo kept finding boundaries at regular intervals and added 224 runs for the third wicket before Kharote broke the partnership in the 37th over. Kishan made 125 off just 79 balls with the help of 14 fours and seven sixes. Shreyas Iyer came next and added 40 runs for the fourth wicket with the captain Gill. Gill crossed the 150-run mark with a single off Allah Ghazanfar in the 42nd over. Gill lost his wicket while trying for a big shot against Kharote in the 43rd over. He made 154 off 110 balls with the help of 22 fours and a couple of sixes. KL Rahul couldn't stay long and went back after a golden duck. Iyer contributed with 26 off 24 balls with the help of a six and a four, but gave his wicket to Kharote. Washington Sundar helped India cross the 400-run mark with his valuable 19 runs with the tailenders as India lost all of their wickets in 49.5 overs and set a 403-run target for the visitors. Rashid Khan took three, whereas Kharote picked four wickets for Afghanistan. Ghazanfar and Safi also shared one wicket each among them. The hosts are leading the three-match ODI series 1-0 and will be looking to seal the series with a victory here in Lucknow. Afghanistan, on the other hand, desperately need a victory to remain alive in the series. (ANI)
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