India march ahead despite Saleem’s strikes, Pant misses out on century

India march ahead despite Saleem’s strikes, Pant misses out on century

India 475 for 6 (Washington 14*, Suthar 9*, Saleem 4-109) vs Afghanistan

India marched forward on the second morning in New Chandigarh despite losing three wickets, including those of Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. They scored 107 runs in 25 overs at a run rate of 4.28 and have two bowling allrounders at the crease, finishing the session on 475 for 6.

Mohammad Saleem

Mohammad Saleem was the standout bowler for Afghanistan. Azmatullah Omarzai used the second new ball well and was unlucky to end the session wicketless. Hashmatullah Shahidi’s success late in the session brought about more spin.

The day began with Afghanistan taking the new ball in the second over and they found seam and swing immediately. Omarzai trapped Gill in front of leg stump and had Pant nick to the wicketkeeper the very next ball in the 89th over. The umpire gave them both not out and wasn’t challenged on both occasions. Afghanistan had one review remaining at the time but failed to make use of it.

Pant

After facing a maiden off Ziaur Rahman, Pant charged at him early in the over twice, and picked up boundaries. Gill then brought up India’s 400 with a cut. He picked up two more boundaries off Saleem, who replaced Zia, when he went full and then short.

Saleem remained undeterred. He gradually pulled his length back in the 96th over and had Gill nick to the keeper at the stroke of drinks. Gill added 23 to his overnight score. In his following over, Saleem nearly had Pant chop on. He held his length but was punished by Pant and Dhruv Jurel when he went short.

The ball after Jurel’s pulled four brought up India’s 450, he shouldered arms and Saleem nipped it back to hit top of off. Saleem bowled seven overs in the morning and was expensive, conceding 42 runs, but got the set batters and kept it tight late in his spell.

Pant survived a run-out chance after a bit of lazy running in the 101st over. But there was no luck two overs later when spin was introduced for the first time in the day as he looked to clear the boundary and holed out at long-off for 81.

There was a miscued shot from debutant Manav Suthar off Shahidi but it flew wide of mid-on. Suthar was otherwise comfortable as he batted through to lunch with Washington Sundar.

Levi Chawla

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