Historic Match Delayed
Rain Delays Start of Historic India-Afghanistan ODI Cricket Series Opener
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Rain stopped play before it even began in Dharamshala on Saturday, as steady showers delayed the toss and the start of the first ODI between India and Afghanistan AP News. AccuWeather had forecast a 96% chance of morning rain over the HPCA Stadium, making the delay far from a surprise India Today.
The match is the first game of a historic three-ODI series — the first-ever bilateral ODI series between the two nations AP News. India enters the series having lost three of their last five ODIs, while Afghanistan arrives on a four-match winning streak in the 50-over format AP News.
A Historic First Bilateral ODI Series Begins
India and Afghanistan have faced each other in ODIs since 2010, but only in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup — never in a bilateral series AP News. Saturday's rain-hit opener in Dharamshala is the first of three matches, with the 2nd ODI set for June 17 in Lucknow and the 3rd on June 20 in Chennai Yahoo Sports.
India won the preceding one-off Test by an innings and 300 runs in just three days in New Chandigarh Yahoo Sports. But ODI cricket is a different contest. India's head-to-head ODI record against Afghanistan stands at 3 wins and 1 tie from 4 meetings, though recent form tells a more cautious story.
Rohit Sharma Set to Break a 37-Year-Old Record
Veteran Rohit Sharma was cleared to play by the BCCI medical team after recovering from a hamstring niggle NDTV Sports. At 39 years and 44 days old, Sharma would become the oldest Indian man ever to play an ODI, breaking a record held by Mohinder Amarnath for 37 years NDTV Sports.
Virat Kohli, meanwhile, was ruled out due to injury. Yashasvi Jaiswal steps in as his replacement India Today. Jaiswal scored a century in his last ODI appearance in December. Shreyas Iyer also plays a key part — he needs just 23 runs to become the fastest Indian batter to reach 3,000 ODI runs India Today.
Afghanistan Arrive as Dark Horses with Rashid Khan Back
Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi called the series a "historic" moment for his team India Today. The visitors are not coming in just to make up numbers. Rashid Khan returns to the squad after being rested for the Test match, bringing fresh legs and sharp form — he took 21 wickets in IPL 2026 India Today.
Analysts note that India's bowling line-up for the series excludes Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, suggesting the team is using this series to test new players for the 2027 World Cup cycle Yahoo Sports. India captain Shubman Gill described the series as a "critical starting point" for that World Cup build-up Hindustan Times.
Venue Choice Under Fire as Pre-Monsoon Rain Bites
Cricket fans were quick to point out that Dharamshala, a hill station in Himachal Pradesh, is a high-risk venue during the pre-monsoon window Yahoo Sports. AccuWeather showed a 90% chance of afternoon rain too, raising fears the match could be reduced or washed out entirely India Today.
Critics on social media blamed the BCCI's venue selection process for the disruption, with some calling it a "predictable" problem Yahoo Sports. Should the first ODI be washed out, both teams will need to rely on the remaining two matches — in Lucknow on June 17 and Chennai on June 20 — to decide the series.
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