Chennai, June 20 (IANS) Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna claimed his maiden five‑wicket haul in ODIs as India bowled out Afghanistan for 218 in the third and final match of the series here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, despite a fighting maiden century from skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi.

India struck early after Afghanistan elected to bat first by reducing the visitors to 36/4 inside the first ten overs. Prasidh was the chief destroyer with the new ball by using pace, bounce, and swing to wipe out the top order of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, and Darwish Rasooli with figures of 4-6 in his first five overs.

The collapse left Afghanistan reeling and in danger of a low total, but Shahidi found an able ally in all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai. The pair stitched together a 105‑run stand for the fifth wicket. Omarzai played positively for his 50 off 56 balls, striking five fours and two sixes, before falling to Prince Yadav.

Shahidi, battling cramps and receiving repeated warnings for running in the danger area, which in turn gave India five penalty runs, carried on with immense determination. He reached his maiden ODI hundred in the 44th over, cutting Washington Sundar late to the boundary before raising his arms and performing a sajda in celebration.

Shahidi’s knock of 102 off 131 balls included 13 fours and a six, apart from sharing a 57-run stand with Mohammad Nabi, before becoming Prasidh’s fifth victim of the match by pulling to deep mid-wicket.

Afghanistan’s lower order, however, failed to provide support, as they lost the last five wickets for 20 runs, undoing the recovery built by Shahidi and Omarzai. Prasidh, meanwhile, walked out with figures of 5-23 from nine overs, as India will back themselves to chase down the modest total by starting from 5/0.

Brief Scores: Afghanistan 218 in 44.2 overs (Hashmatullah Shahidi 102, Azmatullah Omarzai 50; Prasidh Krishna 5-23, Harsh Dubey 1-38) against India

–IANS

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