India Sweeps Afghanistan as Shubman Gill Wins Series Award

India secured a comprehensive 9-wicket victory over Afghanistan in Chennai to complete a 3–0 ODI series sweep. The dominant performance marked a crucial turnaround for captain Shubman Gill, who earned the Player of the Series award following recent leadership setbacks against Australia and New Zealand.

Shubman Gill won the Player of the Series in Afghanistan ODIs.

Indian skipper Shubman Gill asserted that his squad fulfilled numerous tactical objectives with both bat and ball during the middle overs of the tournament following a dominant triumph over Afghanistan. Gill clinched his inaugural trophy as ODI captain after facing previous defeats in Australia and on home soil against New Zealand earlier this year.

The home team dismantled the visiting Afghan squad by 9 wickets during the final ODI fixture on June 20, 2026, inside Chennai, effectively sealing the three-match bilateral series 3–0.

Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi elected to bat first after winning the coin toss. The captain anchored the innings by scoring 102 runs off 131 deliveries, smashing 13 boundaries and 1 clearance, while teammate Azmatullah Omarzai compiled 50 runs to forge a solid 105-run partnership. Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi subsequently contributed 21 runs in a 57-run stand alongside Shahidi, guiding Afghanistan to a total of 218 runs. Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna dismantled the opposition lineup, registering career-best figures of 5-for-23.

During the chase, opening batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma dismantled the target by putting together a 170-run opening stand in just 23 overs. Sharma displayed vintage form, striking 79 runs from 69 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixes, while Jaiswal anchored the chase with an unbeaten 110 off 86 balls, hitting 14 boundaries and 3 sixes. Middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten on 20 as the hosts chased down the target in 28.4 overs with 9 wickets remaining.

Paceman Prasidh Krishna secured the Player of the Match trophy, whereas opening batter Shubman Gill claimed the Player of the Series accolade.

“Yeah, definitely. I think the first spell bowled by Gurnoor and Prasidh was outstanding. To see that kind of pace in those conditions was not easy, but I think they kept putting in their effort and kept pushing.

A lot of them definitely. I think a lot of the boxes are ticked. We spoke about keeping the intensity in the middle overs, and some of the things that we also spoke about were how we can keep creating those opportunities in the middle overs as a bowling unit and as a batting unit and how we can keep pushing for the extra runs in the middle overs. And I think a lot of those boxes were ticked,” Shubman Gill said at the post-match presentation.

Gill mentioned that he is looking forward to the upcoming competitive limited-overs tour of England. He believes the English environments will closely mirror the playing conditions that South Africa, the official host nation of the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, will present.

“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. So the kind of combination that we would be looking to play there, hopefully we have all the players fit and ready, it is going to be another great series for us,” he added.

The men in blue are scheduled to contest 3 ODI matches in England after concluding 2 T20I matches against Ireland and 5 T20I matches against England.

Future Outlook

The comprehensive sweep provides tactical clarity for the team management ahead of a dense overseas schedule. Navigating transition phases in leadership, the team heads next to Ireland and England to test its strategic combinations on quicker pitches. These matches will serve as vital preparation for building a core squad ahead of the global mega-event scheduled for 2027 in South Africa.

FAQs

Who won the Player of the Series award in the India vs Afghanistan ODI series?

Indian captain Shubman Gill won the Player of the Series award after leading his team to a clean sweep.

What was the result of the final ODI match between India and Afghanistan in 2026?

India defeated Afghanistan by 9 wickets on June 20, 2026, in Chennai, completing a 3–0 series victory.

Who were the top performers for India in the final match?

Yashasvi Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 110 runs off 86 balls, while fast bowler Prasidh Krishna took 5 wickets for 23 runs to win Player of the Match.

Where is the Indian cricket team traveling next for its upcoming matches?

The Indian cricket team will travel to Europe to play 2 T20Is against Ireland, followed by 5 T20Is and 3 ODIs against England.