India’s KL Rahul seeks respite from the afternoon heat during the drinks break on the first day of the cricket Test match between Afghanistan and India in New Chandigarh on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

Shubman Gill’s fans during the India-Afghanistan cricket test match in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.

Cricket fans Sana and Aadya spent a lot of time making this collage

The family had come from Pune to watch a test match in New Chandigarh

Khyal Mohammad, a lone Afghan from Kabul, waving the flag of his country during the India-Afghanistan match in Mullanpur.

The stands remained largely empty during the India-Afghanistan Test match today as many spectators stayed away from the field due to rising temperatures.

India’s KL Rahul seeks respite from the afternoon heat during the drinks break on the first day of the cricket Test match between Afghanistan and India in New Chandigarh on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

Shubman Gill’s fans during the India-Afghanistan cricket test match in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.

Cricket fans Sana and Aadya spent a lot of time making this collage

The family had come from Pune to watch a test match in New Chandigarh

Khyal Mohammad, a lone Afghan from Kabul, waving the flag of his country during the India-Afghanistan match in Mullanpur.

The stands remained largely empty during the India-Afghanistan Test match today as many spectators stayed away from the field due to rising temperatures.

India’s KL Rahul seeks respite from the afternoon heat during the drinks break on the first day of the cricket Test match between Afghanistan and India in New Chandigarh on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

New Chandigarh: : From an Afghan student cheering on his childhood friends to a family flying 1,500 km from Pune, die-hard fans turned away air conditioning and study guides to witness cricket history, turning the venue’s first Test match into a vibrant, multi-national carnival.Businessmen and engineering students from England skipped exams and braved 40°C heat to watch local favorites Shubman Gill And KL Rahul scored centuries and crushed a tiring Afghan attack on the very first day.The eclectic, international crowd that turned out for the India-Afghanistan clash in Mullanpur transformed the stadium into a mosaic of hand-painted placards, jersey-wearing fans and inter-continental harmony.Among the first to arrive was 25-year-old Khyal Mohammad, an Afghan MBA student at Chandigarh University who had moved 830 km from Kabul for his studies. Initially the only Afghanistan supporter in his block, Mohammad – who counts Afghan national players Nangyal Kharotai and Zia Sharifi as personal friends – was soon joined by a contingent of compatriots.“There was a time when we supported other teams because we didn’t have any,” Mohammed said. “It feels good to support myself now.”The allure of the five-day game proved stronger than the academic deadlines for a group of third-year engineering students from Andhra Pradesh. While studying at Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, nine classmates traveled to New Chandigarh right in the middle of their university exams.“We love cricket and we had to watch Test cricket live,” said Venkateshwarlu, 21, who had bought tickets mainly to watch Indian batsman KL Rahul, who was visiting from Karnataka.This match was played for the first time for many people in the stands. A family of four traveled nearly 1,500 kilometers from Pune to fulfill their daughter’s passion for sports, while twin sisters from Delhi Public School, Chandigarh spent the entire day designing a giant stadium poster.Even international corporate travelers got caught up in the local excitement. Two British officials on a business trip to India made an unscheduled visit to Mullanpur to experience first-hand the unique atmosphere of regional Test cricket.All the sacrifices and gambles paid off with Indian dominance having a front row seat as home captain Shubman Gill took India to 368 for 3 at stumps. The opening day proved the enduring magic of the five-day game, a return to tradition after a long season IPL20 over slam blast.