During the post-match press conference after the first ODI between India and Afghanistan, a touching moment unfolded when Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy received a phone call from his mother while addressing the media following his team's victory.
India triumphed over Afghanistan by seven wickets in Dharamsala, thanks to a remarkable half-century from captain Shubman Gill and impressive three-wicket performances from debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey. The match was shortened to 25 overs per side due to rain.
After the match, Nitish, who bowled a commendable four-over spell taking two wickets for 31 runs, including the key wickets of centurion Rahmanullah Gurbaz and all-rounder Mohammed Nabi, answered a call from his mother. He informed her he would call back in five minutes, apologizing to the journalist for the brief interruption, creating a light-hearted atmosphere.
Nitish earned his place in the squad following a strong performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where he amassed 302 runs in 13 innings at an average of 30.20 and a strike rate of 171.59, including one half-century. He also claimed eight wickets, showcasing his bowling prowess with speeds reaching the late 130s and early 140s.
The match was curtailed to 25 overs per side due to rain. India chose to bowl first, quickly reducing Afghanistan to 26/3. Gurbaz counter-attacked with aggressive boundaries, forming a 116-run partnership with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi, who scored 27 runs off 30 balls. Afghanistan was eventually bowled out for 194 in 24.5 overs.
Debutants Gurnoor Brar (3/27 in 4.5 overs) and Harsh Dubey (3/47) made significant impacts, while Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy also contributed with two wickets each.
In response, India lost Rohit Sharma early but Shubman Gill (84* off 66 balls) anchored the innings, forming partnerships of 70 runs with Ishan Kishan (34 off 22 balls) and 55 runs with KL Rahul (39* off 19 balls). India successfully chased down the target in 22.5 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with Gill being named 'Player of the Match.'
