Cricket fans at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium went absolutely wild on Wednesday as India’s dynamic batting duo turned the second ODI into a masterclass of modern power-hitting. The highly anticipated IND vs AFG clash on June 17, 2026, saw the hosts assert supreme dominance over Afghanistan in an unforgettable display of batsmanship. After Afghanistan won the toss and opted to bowl, their decision backfired spectacularly under the intense Lucknow heat.
The match quickly transformed from a standard bilateral contest into a historic run-fest, anchored by an breathtaking partnership that left the visiting bowling attack completely clueless and chasing leather all across the park.
Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan spark frenzy with blistering tons against Afghanistan in the 2nd ODI
The headline of the day belonged to Indian captain Shubman Gill and his explosive partner Ishan Kishan, who both reached their respective centuries in the exact same over. The crowd in Lucknow erupted in absolute pandemonium during the 33rd over, bowled by Bilal Sami, when both batters crossed the triple-figure mark in a matter of six balls.
Captain Gill led from the front, bringing up his ninth ODI century with a tidy flick through square leg off the first ball of the over. The ‘Prince’ of Indian cricket played a genuinely princely innings, reaching his ton in just 77 balls, laced with effortless boundaries. Despite the gruelling heat, Gill remained remarkably fluent. Upon reaching the milestone, he gracefully removed his helmet, raised his bat, and bowed to the roaring Lucknow crowd, signalling his intent to push for a massive double-century.
Just five balls later, Ishan Kishan joined the party. Facing the final ball of Bilal Sami’s over, Kishan thrashed a short and wide delivery through backward point for a boundary to bring up his second ODI century. Reaching his milestone off just 71 balls, this marked Kishan’s first ODI hundred since his legendary 210 against Bangladesh back in December 2022. The southpaw’s explosive comeback format in 2026 reached a new peak as he shared a warm embrace with his skipper, capping off an over that will go down in Indian cricketing folklore.
India enroute to post a massive total against Afghanistan
With the top order firing on all cylinders, the scoreboard painted a terrifying picture for the Afghan bowling unit. Despite losing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal early on for 4 runs, caught off Mohammad Saleem, and senior batter Rohit Sharma for a quickfire 48 off 39 balls to Rashid Khan, India completely hijacked the momentum.
By the end of the 38th over, India had commandingly raced to 328/3, operating at a staggering current run rate of 8.63. The projection forecast an astronomical final score of 426 runs. Gill and Kishan’s monumental 3rd-wicket partnership yielded an incredible 224 runs off just 140 deliveries, pushing the scoring rate to over 13 runs per over in the powerplay phase. Kishan was eventually dismissed for a magnificent 125 off 79 balls, a knock that included 14 fours and 7 massive sixes. Gill remained unbeaten at a majestic 139 off 99 balls, punishing the opposition with 21 fours and 2 sixes. With Shreyas Iyer joining the skipper, India is firmly on track to set an insurmountable target.
Also READ: 5 Indian players with most runs in List A cricket ft. Rohit Sharma
Here’s how fans reacted:
2026 IS THE YEAR OF REDEMPTION FOR ISHAN KISHAN. pic.twitter.com/Bj88vJz2eJ
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 17, 2026
Ishan Kishan Today vs Afghanistan:
First 50 runs – 52 balls
Next 53 runs – 19 balls– Hundred in just 71 balls with a massive strike rate of 145 💥
– CRAZY ACCELERATION BY POCKET DYNAMO ISHAN KISHAN 🥶#INDvsAFG pic.twitter.com/zPPrPRy4Ov
— Ajay Jadeja (@AjayJadeja171) June 17, 2026
Well played Ishan Kishan 👏 #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/Pa2az19V8b
— Prateek (@prateek_295) June 17, 2026
Ishan Kishan’s six hitting ability is just next level, remember his 35 overs 200? He did it I guess on just 135 balls.
I really feel, Ishan Kishan should be given opening. If he can score 135 balls 200 at top then he can do anything. Yashasvi Jaiswal doesn’t have the ODI game!…
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) June 17, 2026
Worth the wait, Ishan 🫶pic.twitter.com/ImAzneJfmu
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) June 17, 2026
🚨 21 International Hundreds at just 26 years of age! 🤯🇮🇳
💯 11 in Tests
💯 9 in ODIs
💯 1 in T20IsCaptain Shubman Gill is not just scoring runs — he’s building a legacy. The present is brilliant, the future looks unstoppable. 👑🔥 pic.twitter.com/G1nbhy128T
— Samjho India (@Samjhoindia143) June 17, 2026
SHUBMAN GILL IS ABSOLUTELY UNSTOPPABLE!
🥶🔥A captain’s knock of pure class and elegance at the Ekana Stadium.
103* off 77 balls to put India completely in the driver’s seat!
Form is temporary, but the Prince’s class is permanent 👑✨#ShubmanGill #INDvsAFG #Cricket pic.twitter.com/Jr9qaLKHyp— Kuldeep sharma (@Kuldeepbid850) June 17, 2026
He can score at 150+ SR
He can open
He can play long innings
He is a youngster
He is as fit as anyone in the team
He is a left handed optionIshan Kishan should open with Shubman Gill, lefty righty combination and he offers 100(70) instead of 40(30) in the name of intent. pic.twitter.com/T99ThPMp7p
— 𝐊𝐨𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭!𝟎𝐧_👑🚩 (@bholination) June 17, 2026
Shubman Gill has 21 international hundreds at the age of 26. 🇮🇳#Shubmangill #INDvAFG pic.twitter.com/m8dtX9YPxZ
— AJITHROMAN007 (@Romanajith00718) June 17, 2026
Glorious. Stunning. An absolute delight to watch! 🤩
Captain Shubman Gill at his magnificent best, a masterclass in ODI batting from one of the finest batters in the game today.#ShubmqnGill #IndianCricket pic.twitter.com/szONyrcVP6
— 𝐀𝐣𝐚𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐝 (@iamajayjangirr) June 17, 2026
ODI hundred No.9️⃣ and one of sheer class from Captain Shubman Gill 👏🔝#ShubmanGill #INDvAFG #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/WvquZwu0Zq
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) June 17, 2026
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