India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl first in the rain-shortened opening ODI against Afghanistan. Reduced to 25 overs a side, the match was scheduled to begin at 5.45 pm.
Punjab pacer Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey made their ODI debuts after captain Shubman Gill presented them with their India caps. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prince Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav missed out on the game.
Gill said, “It is overcast and there might be another interruption later. We are trying different combinations to see what works for us.”
Fans waited patiently for nearly four hours before play could begin. Moderate rain lashed the town since morning, with the covers remaining in place until around 5 pm.
Earlier in the afternoon, the chances of any cricketing action appeared bleak. Yet diehard fans, clad in raincoats, continued to fill the stands surrounding the ground.
The DJ emerged as the unlikely star of the day, keeping the crowd entertained as fans danced in the rain. Boys waved jerseys and raincoats, while girls showcased their dance moves amid the drizzle. The atmosphere became so lively that the DJ eventually played the inevitable rain anthem, “Tip Tip Barsa Paani”.
Outside the Indian dressing room, players passed time by engaging in a ‘keepie-uppies’ challenge, reminding many of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.
