Prasidh Krishna made an immediate impact with a fiery two-wicket burst in the powerplay as India got off to a strong start with the ball in the third ODI against Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. The tall pacer dismissed dangerous opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz with his very first delivery and followed it up by removing Rahmat Shah, helping reduce the visitors to 28/2 after seven overs.

With the series already in the bag following a 2-0 lead, India used the dead rubber to hand opportunities to fringe players, while Afghanistan fought to salvage pride in the final game.

Early Blows Rock Afghanistan

Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch that offered assistance to the pacers. However, the decision backfired quickly as Prasidh Krishna struck gold straight away. Gurbaz edged a fuller delivery to Rohit Sharma in the slips in the second over, giving India the perfect start.

Prasidh was not done yet. In the sixth over, he induced another outside edge from Rahmat Shah, with Rohit completing a sharp catch at slip for his second dismissal of the morning. The disciplined lines and lengths from Prasidh and fellow pacer Gurnoor Brar kept the Afghan batters under pressure, extracting bounce and movement on the tacky surface.

Solid Start by Indian Bowlers

At the end of the seventh over, Afghanistan were struggling at 28/2, with Ibrahim Zadran unbeaten on 11 and captain Shahidi yet to open his account. Gurnoor Brar, known for his pace and hard lengths, complemented Prasidh well, troubling the batters throughout the opening spell.

The MA Chidambaram pitch, which had offered mixed assistance during the recent IPL, appeared to favour bowlers early on, with both teams restricted in the powerplay.

Team Changes and Context

India made three changes to their playing XI, bringing in Prasidh Krishna, Harsh Dubey and Nitish Kumar Reddy while resting KL Rahul, who had been playing non-stop cricket. Shubman Gill, leading the side, had earlier expressed his desire to bat first but adapted well to the bowling conditions.

Afghanistan, meanwhile, made four changes, including recalls for Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai, hoping to improve on their performances in the previous two losses.

Building Pressure in Chennai Heat

The conditions were hot and humid, typical for June in Chennai, testing the fitness of both sides. Indian bowlers maintained tight control, not allowing Afghanistan any room to accelerate. Local fans at the Chepauk cheered every Indian success, creating an electric atmosphere even in a dead rubber.

Rohit Sharma’s sharp fielding in the slips added to India’s dominance, showcasing the experience of senior players supporting the younger bowling attack.

What Lies Ahead

With the series already won, India will look to experiment further and complete a clean sweep. Afghanistan need to build partnerships around Ibrahim Zadran and their middle order to post a competitive total. The presence of spin options like Washington Sundar and Harsh Dubey could come into play as the pitch potentially slows down later.

Prasidh Krishna’s early heroics have set the tone for India on a day when they aim to end the limited-overs leg of the tour on a high before shifting focus to other formats.

The match remains evenly poised in terms of overs left, but India clearly hold the upper hand after a clinical powerplay.