Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi endured a bittersweet outing in the third ODI against India at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. While the left-hander produced one of the grittiest innings of his career under challenging conditions, a repeated on-field mistake landed him in trouble with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Shahidi was found guilty of breaching Article 2.10.10 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which prohibits batters from causing deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch. During his innings, the Afghanistan skipper repeatedly ran through the protected area of the wicket, also known as the danger area, while taking singles.
The on-field umpires initially warned Shahidi twice about his movement on the pitch. However, the issue persisted and an official warning was issued in the 31st over. The decisive moment came on the final ball of the 40th over when Shahidi once again ran through the protected zone.
As per ICC playing conditions, the repeated offence resulted in an automatic five-run penalty against Afghanistan, effectively handing India a five-run head start before the chase had even begun.
Following the match, Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle charged Shahidi with a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct. The Afghanistan captain admitted the offence and accepted an official reprimand along with one demerit point, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
The disciplinary action somewhat overshadowed what was otherwise a remarkable innings from the Afghan skipper. Walking in with his team struggling at 36/4 after a devastating spell from India’s Prasidh Krishna, Shahidi took charge of the innings and stitched together a crucial partnership with Azmatullah Omarzai.
Batting in the intense Chennai heat, Shahidi battled severe cramps after crossing the 80-run mark. With running between the wickets becoming increasingly difficult, he relied on clever placement and determination to reach his maiden ODI century. He eventually scored a fighting 102 off 131 deliveries and guided Afghanistan to 218 before the innings came to an end.
India, however, made light work of the chase. Prasidh Krishna’s brilliant figures of 5/23 had already put the hosts in complete control, and the batters finished the job in emphatic fashion. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma dominated the Afghan attack, adding a massive 170 runs for the opening wicket.
Jaiswal smashed an unbeaten 110 off just 86 balls, while Rohit contributed a fluent 79 as India sealed a comfortable nine-wicket victory with 128 balls remaining. The win completed a comprehensive 3-0 series sweep and also marked India’s first ODI series triumph under captain Shubman Gill.
