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Asian Games 2023 | Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co. Clinch 27th Gold For India

image-lnfv5kzxRavi Bishnoi celebrates a wicket at the Asian Games final against Afghanistan (x.com)

Brief Scores: Afghanistan: 112-5 (18.2 overs) [Shahidullah: 49* (43), Gulbadin Naib: 27* (24); Shivam Dube 1/4 (1), Ravi Bishnoi 1/12 (4)] No Result.

India’s Asian Games Gold Medal shootout against Afghanistan was washed out owing to ceaseless rains in Hangzhou. After ‘Men in Blue’ skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad had won the toss and opted to field first, the Afghans kept losing early wickets while number four Shahidullah and in-form captain Gulbadin Naib staged their recovery with counterattacking diligence in the backend of their innings.

Nonetheless, Afghanistan faced just 18.2 overs in their unfinished batting effort before rains prevented further play. The result ensured that Naib and co. walked away with a Silver Medal while Team India secured a historic Asian Games Gold owing to their higher seeding in the competition.



Ravi Bishnoi strangled Afghanistan with economical four overs

India’s new-ball bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube both accounted for Afghanistan openers Mohammad Shahzad and Zubaid Akbari within their opening spells of the game. Noor Ali Zadran at number three, on the other hand, became a victim of his own undoing as he was caught inches short of his ground to a Ravi Bishnoi throw to worsen his side’s troubles at 12-3.



Bishnoi himself cleaned up Afsar Zazai a little later in the innings, and finished with figures of an impressive 1-12 from his four overs. Shahbaz Ahmed also joined in the party, while Washington Sundar and Sai Kishore emerged as the only wicketless Indian bowlers on the day considering both Shahidullah and Gulbadin Naib had taken them to the cleaners.

The two Afghan batters shared an unbeaten 60-run stand to take their side from 52-5 to 112-5 before rains halted play at Hangzhou. Despite the rain-soddened result, Afghanistan secured a historic Silver Medal, thus rounding up a successful Asian Games campaign which featured impressive wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan.