IND vs AFG 1st ODI Highlights: India defeat Afghanistan by seven wickets

KL Rahul has finished it off with a brilliant 39 runs in 19 deliveries. Shubman Gill goes unbeaten on a score of 84 runs. India win the first ODI of the series by seven wickets!

With three boundaries off the first three balls of the 22nd over, KL Rahul has almost finished this game. India need 19 runs in 21 deliveries now!

India are on their way to a win, 19 overs have been completed here in Dharamsala. India needs 42 runs in 36 deliveries. Gill standing strong on a score of 73 runs in 58 deliveries. 

India collected seven runs in the 15th over as Shubman Gill continued to anchor the innings with confidence. The right-hander found the boundary on the fourth delivery of the over, driving Rashid through the extra-cover region for a well-timed four. 

Shubman Gill has completed his half-century here! Reaches the milestone in 37 deliveries. India's score reads 109-1 after 12 overs. 

Rohit Sharma departed for 16 runs off 15 balls. A miscommunication between him and Shubman Gill sent the former India captain packing. India lose their first wicket. They are 46/1

India are 40 without any loss. Shubman Gill mistimed the last ball of the powerplay but Rahmanullah Gurbaz failed to grab what was a tough catch. India would be happy with the proceedings so far. 

India are 8/0 after the first over. Out of the eight, seven runs were scored in extras. 

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill open the innings for India. Azmatullah Omarzai open the bowling for Afghanistan. 

Afghanistan posted 194 runs in the first innings. Zia departed for four runs. The chase is on the other side of a small break. 

Afghanistan are nine wickets down for 193 runs. Gurnoor Brar claimed his second. 

Shubman Gill takes an absolute blinder. It's as good as you will ever see. AM Ghazanfar departed for a duck as Harsh Dubey claimed his third wicket. 

Azmatullah Omarzai smacked a six off Harsh Dubey in the first delivery of the over and on the very next, the Indian spinner bounced back. Omarzai departed for 26 runs off 16 balls. Afghanistan are 182/7.

Mohammad Nabi departed for nine runs off 14 balls. Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up his second wicket of the night. Afghanistan are 172/6

Harsh Dubey sent Hashmat Shahidi packing for 27 runs off 30 balls. He had an expensive first couple of overs but the Veedharbha-born bounced back with a key wicket. Afghanistan are 144/5 after 16.3 overs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz departed for 102 runs off 51 balls. Nitish Kumar Reddy's yorker finally got the trick for India, who were struggling to contain him in the middle. Afghanistan are 142/4 after 15.3 overs. 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz smacks his fastest century in ODI cricket. He reached the milestone in 48 deliveries. Despite losing three early wickets, Gurbaz managed to keep the scoreboard ticking and in what manner!

There's no stopping Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the moment. He has moved to his 90s already. The keeper-batter is dealing in boundaries. Show stopper!

Afghanistan are 44/3 after seven overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is accelerating well in the middle. 

Afghanistan lose their third wicket in Dharamsala. Rahmat Shah departed for eight runs off three balls. They are reduced to 26/3 after 4.3 overs. 

Sediqullah Atal departed without opening his tally. Arshdeep Singh picked up his first wicket of the night. He was given LBW and Sediq called for a DRS. It turned out to be umpire's call, ending his stay in the middle. 

Gurnoor Brar picked up his first wicket in international cricket. Ibrahim Zadran departed after scoring one run off four balls. Shubman Gill picked up a simple catch to help India clinch the first wicket. Afghanistan are 13/1

Arshdeep Singh conceded 11 runs in the first over. The Afghanistan openers are showing some intent in the middle as it's a 25-over game. Gurnoor Brar to bowl the second over. 

Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz open the batting for Afghanistan in Dharamsala. Arshdeep Singh has been handed the new ball. 

Both teams have lined up for the national anthems. Afghanistan to sing first, followed by India's Jana Gana Mana. 

Virat Kohli has been ruled out of the ODI series, owing to a hamstring injury. Yashasvi Jaiswal was added to the squad, but it was Kishan who replaced Kohli in the playing XI. He returned to the ODI squad for the first time since October 2023. 

Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil(w), Rashid Khan, Mohammad Saleem Safi, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi

Shubman Gill(c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan(w), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field first. 

Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey has been handed their India cap. Two debutants for India tonight vs Afghanistan.

It will be a 25-over game in Dharamsala. Five bowlers can bowl five overs at maximum. The powerplay will be of five overs. The fans will finally able to see their favourite stars take the field. 

The toss is set to take place at 5:15 pm and the match is set to begin at 5:45 pm. Currently, there's no update on the number of overs. Both teams have started light practice on the ground at the moment. 

The rain has stopped and conditions are visibly improving, with brighter skies emerging over the ground. Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi and head coach Richard Pybus have stepped out to inspect the conditions. The centre covers have now been removed, allowing the pitch to be seen for the first time today.

The rain has eased down but hasn't completely stopped. However, it has allowed the groundsmen to be back on the ground and prepare accordingly. We are running against the time now. 

Rain continues to fall in Dharamsala, keeping conditions uncertain for the scheduled contest. However, on-air observations from Graeme Swann suggest a possible break in the weather, with indications that the skies may be starting to clear and a game still considered achievable. The cut-off time for a 20-over match is set at 6:32 pm, leaving a narrow window for play if conditions improve.

The rain is still strong and there's a very little chance of a game tonight. 

Heavy drizzle continues without interruption at the venue, keeping conditions firmly against any immediate resumption of play. Inside the dressing room, the Indian players are passing time in relaxed mood, while there is little change on the field as ground staff continue to wait.

With overs already being lost, the situation is becoming increasingly tight. The latest cut-off time for a 20-over contest has been set at 6:32 pm, leaving a shrinking window for play if the weather does not improve soon.

There's no movement on the ground at the moment. The rain has lightened up, but the super soppers are not moving at the moment. The fans wait with umbrellas over their head. 

The rain is in no mood to slow down. The players are enjoying their time in the dressing room as the wait continues. 

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami/Mohammad Saleem

Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan/Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar/Prince Yadav

Gurnoor Brar Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav are sharpening their photography skills at the moment.  

A light drizzle continues to fall over the venue, keeping conditions far from ideal for a start. The two supersoppers that were earlier in operation have temporarily halted as the rain persists. Most spectators are currently taking cover, with many using umbrellas or raincoats to shield themselves from the weather. The delay continues as ground staff wait for an improvement in conditions.

No start appears likely in the immediate future as the outfield remains wet. Players including Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav and KL Rahul were seen spending time in the dressing room, alongside Kuldeep Yadav and members of the support staff. Grey clouds continue to hang low over the ground, partially shrouding the surrounding mountains, as conditions stay firmly unsettled.

Ground staff are increasing coverage across the field as more sheets are brought in, suggesting expectations of further rain. The skies remain overcast and dark, with conditions looking unsettled overhead. However, the surface is known for quick drainage, which could allow play to resume swiftly once the rain clears.

Ground staff have deployed additional covers over the run-up area as rain continues to fall at the venue. Conditions remain wet, with no let-up in the showers at this stage.

"We’ve been working on that length for quite some time now, and it’s really pleasing for me to see it come off in game time as well. The idea is to bowl a little fuller and hit that uncomfortable length where batsmen find it difficult to make decisions. (Changes for the white-ball) The changes are mainly about the approach and mindset. We’ve played T20s, then a one-off Test, and now we go back to white-ball cricket. As I said before the Test, it’s about adapting to the situation, the format, and the demands of the game. For me, it’s about trying to keep things tight, block the runs, and make it harder for the batsmen. It’s very important. As a group, we’ve been playing this format together for a while now, so we understand each other’s roles well. (On the importance of the series) These matches help us find the right combinations and build the right rhythm going into the World Cup. We also get to learn what’s working, what can improve, and what we can take forward into the tournament. (On being a senior in this squad) Honestly, nothing really changes. We’ve all been playing together for quite some time, so there isn’t a strong sense of seniority. We all learn from each other and support each other — that’s the best way to move forward as a team," Krishna said.

Star batter Virat Kohli is out of the series, owing to a distal semimembranosus tendon tear. In his absence, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been called up by the selectors. Either of him or Ishan Kishan can bat at number three in the series.

Well, the weather update says that the match will be heavily affected by the rain. It won't be surprising if it's called off at a certain stage. Currently, the rain has stopped at the HPCA Stadium as the super sopper is currently drying the ground. However, there's a 60-70% chance of the rain coming back. 

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the first ODI between India and Afghanistan in Dharamsala. Currently, the rain has delayed the proceedings as the wait for the toss presentation continues.