Brief Scores, IND vs AFG: India (402-all-out in 49.5 overs). Shubman (154), Ishan (125) defeated Afghanistan (232-all out in 44.3 overs). Arshdeep Singh (3/45) lost by 170 runs in Lucknow.

In a stadium where even sitting in the sun was not possible, Shubman Gill’s India played a one-sided game of cricket for 95 overs and took an unassailable 2-0 lead against Hashmatullah Shahidi’s Afghanistan, giving the young captain his first ODI series win.

At Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, a select few fans who had bought expensive tickets for lower seats, quickly left their places and climbed the stairs to sit on the upper floors, given the shadow of the stadium’s roof.

One of the camera crew members of the broadcast unit collapsed, unable to bear the scorching heat of Lucknow in the afternoon. That summer, Shubman Gill’s India, sent in to bat first, batted 49.5 overs and scored a mammoth total of 402 runs.

The heat was the theme of the day, as the Indian Cricket Board allowed an extra drinks break for both teams, three instead of two, and teams arrived with ice towels to cool their players.

India vs AFG, 2nd ODI Highlights | Achievement:

Sent in to bat first, captain Shubman Gill battled through cramps to hit a brilliant 154 while Ishan Kishan ended a three-year wait for an ODI century as India posted a strong total of 402 against Afghanistan in the second match here on Wednesday.

Gill and Kishan (125) made a stormy partnership of 224 runs in 141 balls for the third wicket and stunned the visiting bowlers and laid the foundation of India’s huge score after being invited to bat.

Continuing their experimentation ahead of next year’s World Cup, India brought in Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) to open with Rohit Sharma (48), with Gill slipping to No. 3.

However, the young left-hander failed to take advantage of the opportunity and was out in the very second over.

Meanwhile, Rohit looked in good form and showed glimpses of his past best performances. The former captain was timing the ball well and looked set for a big score, but Rashid Khan’s googly failed him, taking an inside edge and hitting his stumps.

After this, Gill took charge of the innings and rarely took a wrong step. The brilliant right-handed batsman blends accuracy with precision of strokeplay, making batting look effortless despite challenging conditions.

He batted smartly and was critical when the Afghan bowlers tried something new. He completed his ninth ODI century while driving fluently. This milestone was especially sweet as it was also his first ODI century as captain.

Kishan, meanwhile, provided perfect support work before changing gears dramatically after reaching his fifty. The wicketkeeper-batsman, whose confidence has grown steadily in recent months, registered his second ODI century and his first since a memorable double century against Bangladesh in December 2022.

The left-handed batsman’s innings was full of power and innovation. His pulls regularly sent the ball crashing into advertising boards, while two daring one-handed sixes highlighted his growing confidence.

Kishan completed his second half-century in just 19 balls and was eventually dismissed after a brilliant innings of 79 balls.

However, as Gill approached his century, the scorching heat began to take its toll on him. The Indian captain required treatment on his back after the 34th over and looked tired.

Even after reaching his century, Gill struggled with cramps and fatigue but carried on with the innings with remarkable determination. After taking India deep in the final overs, his excellent innings ended in the 43rd over when an uncharacteristic attempt at a reverse sweep found deep cover.

With Gill’s dismissal, the batting collapsed and India failed to bat the full 50 overs and were all out for 402 runs.

Left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote (4/76) was the key destroyer, cleaning out India’s middle order, while Rashid Khan took three wickets.

The exhausted Afghans barely put up a fight.

Hashmatullah Shahidi’s decision to field in the scorching heat of Lucknow proved costly for the team. After fielding for 50 overs, a tired Afghanistan had very little energy left when they came out to bat.

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz scored 41 (33 balls) and then the ball went into the hands of wicketkeeper KL Rahul.

No. 3 Sediqullah Atal looked the strongest of the batsmen today, but Washington Sundar’s slider ended his stay. Seddik may feel that the umpire has punished him harshly, as the ball would have hit the leg stump on the umpire’s call.

The Afghans did not show the necessary intent to chase the target of 403 and were eventually bowled out for 232 in 44.3 overs.

The heat also affected middle-order batsman Darwish Rasooli, who suffered muscle spasms, injured his hamstring and was forced to retire hurt due to the injury.

The series now moves to Chennai where weather conditions are expected to deteriorate. However, there is a possibility of rain at the venue, potentially leading to the final game being cancelled.

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya (BCCI photo)

New Delhi: After half-centuries from Priyansh Arya, Tilak Verma and Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu took four wickets as India A sealed their place in the final of the triangular A series with a resounding 101-run win over Afghanistan A in Dambulla on Wednesday.After posting a strong score of 319/9 in 50 overs, India A bowled out Afghanistan A for 218 runs in 36.5 overs with a superior net run rate of +0.797 to enter the final. India A will now face either Sri Lanka A or Afghanistan A in the final on June 21 in Dambulla. Coming to bat first, India A was given a great start by openers Priyansh Arya and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who added 75 runs in just 48 balls for the first wicket.Suryavanshi survived an early scare when a brilliant catch at point was declared not out by the third umpire and the youngster took full advantage of it by scoring 38 off 28 balls with four fours and two sixes, before Faridoon Dawoodzai finally ended his tenure.Arya continued the attack and scored a fluent half-century. The left-handed batsman hit nine fours and a six in his innings of 58 runs in 42 balls, which laid a strong platform for the middle order.Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 30 before India A captain Tilak Verma and wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Kushagra took over the innings.Both made an important partnership of 104 runs for the fourth wicket. Verma opened the innings with 59 off 75 balls, while Kushagra impressed with 58 off 67 balls in his first appearance of the series.After both the set batsmen were out, Vipraj Nigam played a quickfire 30 off just 20 balls, while Nishant Sindhu remained unbeaten on 21, helping India A cross the 300-run mark.For Afghanistan A, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Farmanullah Safi took two wickets each.Chasing 320, Afghanistan A never recovered after losing wickets at regular intervals.Yash Thakur Hasan shocked Isaakhil by dismissing him early, while Anshul Kamboj got the breakthrough when Vaibhav Suryavanshi completed a brilliant catch to dismiss Khalid Taniwal in the second attempt.Captain Imran Mir made a comeback after scoring 32 runs, but Nishant Sindhu trapped him with the help of a well-considered catch by Suryansh Shedge.Afghanistan A’s only meaningful resistance came through Faisal Shinozada and Bahir Shah. The pair added 87 runs for the fourth wicket and continued the chase for a short while.Bahir led the counter-attack and scored a brilliant inning of 57 runs in 52 balls with the help of four fours and a six, while Faisal missed the half-century after scoring 46 runs.The turning point came when Anukul Roy dismissed Faisal and soon after Vipraj Nigam dismissed Bahir. Once the partnership broke, Afghanistan A’s lower order offered little resistance.After this, Sindhu dismissed Shams ur Rehman, Abdullah Ahmedzai and Zaheer Khan and took 4 wickets for 31 runs in 6.5 overs.Yash Thakur took two wickets, while Kamboj, Roy, Nigam and Shedge got one wicket each.Afghanistan A were eventually bowled out for 218, giving India A a comprehensive 101-run win.

It was one of those rare World Cup nights when all of football’s biggest stars seemed to be reading from the same script.

Across the United States, records have fallen, milestones have been reached, and some of the greatest names of this generation reminded the world why they defined an era. FIFA World Cup There’s always been a stage for the Giants, but something felt different Wednesday.

First came Kylian Mbappe. Still only 27 years old, yet already carrying the weight of French football history on his shoulders, his two goals against Senegal not only gave France the victory but also the victory. He became Les Bleus’ all-time leading goalscorer.Surpassing a record that many thought would stand for years.

Then it was Erling Haaland’s turn. The Norwegian goal machine had waited patiently for his World Cup debut, and when the moment finally arrived, he wasted little time in making his mark. Two goals against Iraq announced his arrival on football’s grandest stageThe latest chapter in a career that is destined to break every scoring record within reach.

And then came Lionel Messi.

At the age of 38, just seven days away from turning 39, and in his 200th appearance for Argentina, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner put in a performance worthy of the occasion. A brilliant hat-trick against Algeria not only gave victory to the defending champions But he also equaled Miroslav Klose as the leading scorer in World Cup history. Almost two decades after he first graced the tournament, Messi is still rewriting its record books.

Three superstars. Three wins. Seven goals. Countless records. Yet as remarkable as the night was, one final task remains.

cristiano ronaldo dos santos aveiro

For nearly 20 years, the Portuguese icon and Messi have shared football’s biggest stage, pushing each other to heights few athletes have been able to reach. Now as Ronaldo prepares to appear in his sixth World Cup, another piece of history is just around the corner.

When Portugal faces DR CongoRonaldo will have a chance to become the first player to score in six different FIFA World Cups. The Portuguese international has a total of eight goals to his name in the last five editions of the tournament.

The previous World Cup did not go as planned, with Ronaldo scoring just once, being substituted against South Korea, and later being placed on the bench for Portugal’s first knockout stage match against Switzerland. He also failed to score at the 2024 European Championships – the first time this has happened at a major international tournament.

Whereas Messi may have made the record of being the oldest player to score a hat-trick. As for Ronaldo himself, the 41-year-old Portuguese forward will look to get it straight back against 45th-ranked DR Congo. They are playing in only their second World Cup, their first in 52 years, when the country was still called Zaire.

“I wish them all the best,” Congo coach Sébastien Desbrey said with a cheeky smile at his pre-match press conference. I hope he scores, but not against us.

On a night when Mbappe, Haaland and Messi all produced moments of history, the focus now turns to the man most capable of ensuring this becomes a truly unforgettable day for football. The pressure will be immense, but the five-time Ballon d’Or winner will not have faced anything like it before.

He has repeatedly performed well for both club and country. The stage is once again set, the record books await—so which Ronaldo will arrive today?

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Vaibhav Suryavanshi will be back in action at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Wednesday as India A take on Afghanistan A in a must-win tri-series. India A are heading into the competition under pressure after their Super Over defeat to Sri Lanka A on Monday and cannot afford another defeat which would end their hopes of reaching the final.

Hosts Sri Lanka A, having won two of their three matches, top the table with four points and a net run rate of 0.494. This has made it a straight fight between India A and Afghanistan A for a place in the final, making Wednesday’s match even more important.