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Axar Patel starred with the ball in the first T20I of the three-match series between India and Afghanistan at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. The left-arm spinner provided the first breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz before finishing with excellent figures of 2/23 in his four overs.
Axar had also looked superb during the five-match home T20I series against Australia, where he bagged six wickets at an economy rate of 6.20. The 29-year-old is also a handy batting option at No. 7.
Interestingly, he was dropped for the recently concluded T20I series in South Africa.
Fans on X (formerly Twitter) lauded Axar Patel for his exploits with the ball in the T20I opener against Afghanistan. One user wrote:
"Axar Patel would've won us WC final."
Here are some more reactions:
Following his spell, Axar Patel said his accuracy in line and length helped him succeed in challenging weather conditions. He said in the mid-match show:
“I wasn't feeling the ball, it was very cold. We knew it was winter and would be cold, but I was only thinking about my bowling, how to put pressure on them. There was a lot of dew, but I focused on my accuracy.”
Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar help India restrict Afghanistan to 158/5 in T20I opener
A clinical bowling performance from Axar Patel and Mukesh Kumar helped India restrict Afghanistan to 158/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Mukesh finished with figures of 2/33, while Shivam Dube also bagged one wicket.
Mohammad Nabi starred with the bat for Afghanistan, scoring 42 runs off 27 balls, including three sixes and two boundaries. Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz also chipped in with scores of 29 (22), 25 (22) and 23 (28), respectively. Najibullah Zadran and Karim Janat stayed unbeaten on 19 (11) and nine (five deliveries), respectively.
In response, India were 28/2 after four overs, with Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube at the crease. India captain Rohit Sharma was run out for a duck after a mixup, while Shubman Gill was stumped out off Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Follow the IND vs AFG 1st T20I live score and updates here.
