Rahmanullah Gurbaz Thanks Gautam Gambhir After Historic Century in 1st ODI

Rahmanullah Gurbaz delivered an outstanding performance in the first ODI at Dharamsala, scoring a remarkable 102 runs off just 51 balls. This innings marked a milestone as he became the fastest Afghan player to achieve a century in ODI cricket.

Reflecting on his achievement, Gurbaz attributed his success to a valuable discussion with India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, which took place after Afghanistan's recent Test defeat at Mullanpur. Following that match, Gurbaz sought Gambhir's advice to enhance his shot selection, and the Indian coach was more than willing to assist.

“After the Test match, I had a very good conversation with Gautam Gambhir sir, and that discussion really helped me,” Gurbaz stated. The conversation allowed him to share specific areas he wanted to improve, which led to a productive training session in the nets. “He shared some positive ideas, and I was able to apply them today,” he added.

In the rain-shortened match, Afghanistan was restricted to 194 runs in 24.5 overs, despite Gurbaz's explosive knock that included eight fours and eight sixes. His century came off just 48 balls, setting a new record for Afghanistan and ranking as the second fastest ODI century against India.

Despite Gurbaz's heroics, Afghanistan struggled to maintain momentum, with only Hashmatullah Shahidi providing notable support with 27 runs. India's debut bowlers Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey took three wickets each, helping secure a seven-wicket victory for India, who now lead the three-match series 1-0.