India vs Afghanistan 1st ODI: Rain cuts match to 25 overs, starts 5:45 pm
Synopsis
A four-hour rain delay in Dharamshala forced India's opening ODI against Afghanistan to be slashed to 25 overs per side, with Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya already absent through injury. Rohit Sharma cleared his fitness test to open, while the moisture-laden pitch and a shortened powerplay make the toss potentially decisive.
Key Takeaways
India vs Afghanistan 1st ODI at HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala reduced to 25 overs per side after a nearly four-hour rain delay .
Toss held at 5:15 pm ; match began at 5:45 pm IST on 13 June .
Virat Kohli (hamstring) and Hardik Pandya (leg injury) are ruled out of the series.
Rohit Sharma cleared his fitness test at the BCCI CoE, Bengaluru and is set to open alongside Shubman Gill .
KL Rahul , Yashasvi Jaiswal , and Ishan Kishan are in contention for the number three batting slot.
India hold a 3-0 ODI record against Afghanistan, with one 2018 Asia Cup tie.
The opening ODI between India and Afghanistan at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala got underway on 13 June as a 25-overs-a-side contest after a nearly four-hour rain delay, with the toss pushed to 5:15 pm and the first ball bowled at 5:45 pm IST. Heavy rainfall over the preceding two days had cast serious doubt over the fixture before ground staff deployed an army of super soppers to drain the outfield.
How the Match Was Salvaged
With the cut-off time for a 20-over game set at 6:32 pm, the match's survival depended entirely on the HPCA ground's drainage capacity. Super soppers worked continuously across the surface as conditions gradually improved, bringing relief to thousands of spectators who had waited through hours of uncertainty. Players were spotted warming up once the rain relented, signalling that play was viable.
Under the revised format, each team will field a maximum of five bowlers, each restricted to five overs, while the batting powerplay has been shortened to five overs.
India's Squad: Kohli and Pandya Out
Shubman Gill-led India head into the contest without two key players. Virat Kohli has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya is sidelined due to a leg injury. However, veteran opener Rohit Sharma cleared his fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and is set to open the innings alongside Gill.
India bowling coach Morne Morkel confirmed at the pre-match press conference that the team management intends to use this series to experiment with the number three batting position in Kohli's absence. KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ishan Kishan are all reportedly in contention for the slot.
Pitch and Conditions Favour Pace
Dharamshala's high-altitude conditions have historically assisted fast bowlers with the new ball. The extended period under covers, however, means the pitch is expected to carry additional moisture, making the toss particularly decisive. Whichever captain wins the flip will face a significant tactical choice between batting and bowling first.
Head-to-Head and What's at Stake
India hold a 3-0 record against Afghanistan in ODI encounters, with one match — played during the 2018 Asia Cup — ending in a tie. Despite the lopsided record, Afghanistan have developed considerably as a side since that era, making this series a meaningful test for a reshuffled Indian batting order ahead of future assignments.
With two more ODIs to follow, the series offers India's management a rare opportunity to assess their depth options at the top and middle order without the pressure of a major tournament.
Point of View
This series was supposed to answer real questions about India's middle-order resilience; a 25-over game generates far less data than a full ODI. The toss-and-conditions dynamic at Dharamshala also risks reducing a meaningful selection experiment to a lottery. The BCCI's scheduling of a high-altitude venue in the pre-monsoon window — when Dharamshala routinely sees heavy rain — is a question worth asking after the second washout scare in as many days.
NationPress
11 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the India vs Afghanistan 1st ODI reduced to 25 overs?
Heavy rain over two days in Dharamshala caused a nearly four-hour delay, making a full 50-over match impossible. Ground staff used super soppers to drain the outfield, allowing a 25-overs-a-side game to begin at 5:45 pm IST on 13 June.
Who is captaining India in the Afghanistan ODI series?
Shubman Gill is leading India in the series. Regular captain Rohit Sharma is playing as an opener after clearing a fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Are Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya playing against Afghanistan?
No. Virat Kohli has been ruled out with a hamstring injury and Hardik Pandya is sidelined due to a leg injury. Both are unavailable for the series.
Who could bat at number three for India in Kohli's absence?
Bowling coach Morne Morkel confirmed that KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Ishan Kishan are all in contention for the number three position, with the team management planning to experiment across the series.
What is India's ODI record against Afghanistan?
India have won all three completed ODIs against Afghanistan. One match, played at the 2018 Asia Cup, ended in a tie — the only blemish on an otherwise clean head-to-head record.
