India completed a dominant 3-0 ODI series sweep of Afghanistan on 20 June at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, clinching the final match by nine wickets. Prasidh Krishna's maiden five-wicket haul of 5 for 23 skittled Afghanistan, before Yashasvi Jaiswal's unbeaten 110 sealed a commanding chase. India captain Shubman Gill, who also won the Player of the Series award, said the performance ticked most of the team's pre-series targets.

How India Dismantled Afghanistan

Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar set the tone with an outstanding opening spell, generating sharp pace in conditions that Gill described as far from easy. Prasidh finished with figures of 5 for 23 — his maiden five-wicket haul in ODI cricket — earning him the Player of the Match award. The fast bowler credited meticulous preparation and a competitive dressing-room environment for his performance. 'I think it's just that kind of hit the length that, as a team, whatever we discussed, what the tactic is, just trying to do that a lot more — the homework has been really good,' he said.

Jaiswal then anchored the chase with an unbeaten 110, ensuring India crossed the line with minimal fuss and maximum authority.

What Gill Said About the Team's Goals

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Gill highlighted the team's focus on middle-overs intensity — both with bat and ball — as the defining theme of the series. 'A lot of the boxes are ticked. We spoke about keeping the intensity in the middle overs... how can we keep creating those opportunities as a bowling unit and as a batting unit, how can we keep pushing for the extra runs,' he said. He added that the bowlers were 'pretty exhausted' by the end of their spells, which is why he resisted giving them additional overs despite being tempted.

Afghanistan's Resistance and Shahidi's Lone Hundred

Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi provided the only meaningful resistance, stroking a fighting 102 — his first century in 95 ODI innings. Shahidi attributed the defeat to a poor start, saying his side lost early wickets that put them under pressure, and despite a solid partnership with Azmat, Afghanistan could not convert it into a competitive total. 'After that partnership, we lost back-to-back wickets. That's why we fell short while scoring runs,' he said. Shahidi also acknowledged that Afghanistan had been away from ODI cricket for roughly eight months before this series, with their last assignment being against Bangladesh.

Eyes on England and the 2027 World Cup

India's next assignment is a three-match ODI series in England from 14 to 19 July, which Gill views as an important preparatory block for the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. 'Going to England, the conditions would be a little bit more similar to what we get in South Africa, not quite similar, but still close to that,' Gill said. He expressed hope that all players would be fit and available for the England series, calling it 'another great series' in the making.

For Afghanistan, the series defeat offers hard lessons. Shahidi said his side will work closely with their new coach to address the gaps exposed over the three matches, with Ireland next on their schedule.