India vs Afghanistan: First T20 cricket match – as it happened

That’s it from Mohali where India have wrapped up victory by six wickets in the first of the three T20 internationals against Afghanistan.

Dube made a huge case for his ongoing inclusion in the team.

We’ll bring you the second game on Sunday from Indore as India play their finals T20s before the World Cup starts on June 1.

By that point, we will also have brought you the first two New Zealand and Pakistan T20s of their series – as well as the live football blogs from the Asian Cup and the Premier League.

We hope you enjoyed the coverage of the game in Mohali and do join us again for more live blogs but for now, from the Al Jazeera Sport team, it’s goodbye.

It’s the start of a busy period of live blogs here on Al Jazeera Sport.

Not only do we have the remainder of this series but also New Zealand against Pakistan – and the AFC Asian Cup 2023 and the CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023.

The Kiwis against Pakistan kicks off our live blog coverage on Friday before the opening game of the Asian Cup where Qatar take on Lebanon. Do join us for the build-up and text commentary of both.

Then on Saturday, it is Australia against India as well as Premier League football with Newcastle United against Manchester City.

A double header of cricket follows on Sunday with the second matches of our two ongoing series.

The returning Indian captain couldn’t have asked for a much more emphatic performance from his side even in the bitterly cold conditions.

“There were a lot of positives. We got a lot from this game, especially with the ball,” Rohit said at the post-match ceremony.

“It wasn’t the easiest of conditions but the spinners, in particular, did well.

“We just want to keep trying different things and bowl our bowlers in different situations of the game and challenge ourselves with areas of the game we are not comfortable with.

“We want to make sure we come out on top and win the game, but we will keep our eye on what we can do to improve, as well.”

The all-rounder hit 60 off 40 balls to claim the Player of the Match award.

“Batting at four, it was pressure on me but I had one thing in mind to play my game,” Dube told the post-match ceremony

“For the first two or three balls, I feel pressure but after that I’m focused and I know I can’t hit big sixes so can generate runs anytime.”

Afghanistan skipper Ibrahim Zadran says his side were short with the bat but poor in the field in the opening game of the series.

“We were sort 30 or 40 runs but the boys fought well until the end,” he said in the post-match ceremony.

“We were trying to have a good start in the power play but when we lost the wicket one of us should have gone to the 14th or 15th over.

“It built pressure. The second innings was difficult for the bowlers they were struggling with the dew.

We have to try to improve the fielding. We were quite lazy with the fielding.”

Wanindu Hasaranga had quite the day against Zimbabwe as Sri Lanka won by eight wickets after bowling the Africans out for just 96 in Colombo.

The fifth-best bowling figures in men's ODIs 🔥

What a performance by Wanindu Hasaranga! #SLvZIM 📝: https://t.co/cQKkx7IlfE pic.twitter.com/Z9RdTiZih0

— ICC (@ICC) January 11, 2024

It was a comfortable win indeed for India in the end and Dube can take a bow.

Shivam Dube's unbeaten half-century guides India to a comfortable victory in the run-chase 👏#INDvAFG 📝: https://t.co/wE4AsAFsxZ pic.twitter.com/F1kb4bs0Mc

— ICC (@ICC) January 11, 2024

Dube finished that in a flash. Sixty off 40 balls was the standout performance of the match by a long way. The partnership at the end was 42 off 23 with Rinku in the end.

What a performance from the 30-year-old proving the depth India have at their disposal.

Afghanistan were missing their captain Rashid Khan of course, but this was still a heavy miss match in the end.

Dube slams six back over Naveen’s head then hooks four next ball to win the match.

With 2.3 overs to spare.

Rinku dabs Omarzai fine for four as he waits on the ball to show his class.

Dube then clips a single to move to his fifty off 38 balls – his second for India.

He’s seeing this home with great authority for his side.

A total 11 needed off 18. A stroll in the end.

Dube is so close to a deserved fifty now. Despite the early wickets, the left-hander has looked composed from the off.

Naveen concedes just nine off the over after he was dragged for four first ball of the over by Dube.

Dube carves a drive through the covers off Farooqi.

That was stupendously struck.

There is still nothing better to see in cricket than the ball ripping at the top of the grass through the off side.

Farooqi slams in a sharp bouncer, again a mighty fine sight, a few balls later but it’s too short and signalled a wide.

A single ends the over and 10 off it in total.

Jitesh tries to hit Mujeeb out of the ground off a length delivery but picks out Ibrahim on the deep-midwicket boundary.

A fine cameo with 31 off 20 but the job is not done yet.

Rinku faces the final ball of the over and clips fine for four courtesy of a misfield – by Karim!

India 121-4 at the end of the 14th.

Karim is having a nightmare in the deep and Omarzai is the unimpressed bowler now.

Coming around at deep square he tries to flick the ball back in one-handed but effectively drags it with him over the rope.

The next ball, Jitesh goes again and skies it but it lands safe between two fielders at deep square. Was Karim moved slightly finer as a result?

Karim makes a mess of a chance in the deep as Jitesh hits inside out over the covers.

The fielder charged in, but didn’t dive. The ball bounces just in front of him and skims away for the second boundary of the over.

That looks like a sliding-doors moment as a wicket at this stage would have built pressure.

Gulbadin is left with his hands on his head while conceding 12 off the over.

Omarzai so nearly got out of the over conceding three singles, but the last ball is a wide full toss and Jitesh hammers it for four despite having to stretch outside off stump to reach it.

Dreadful delivery and a shame after an otherwise controlled over.

Jitesh picks up where Tilak left off.

A bouncer from Naveen is hooked fine, almost over the keeper, for four.

Incredible reactions.

Naveen drags it back well with just two singles off the last three balls after the first three went for seven.

Jitesh is the new batter and a couple of singles end the over.

India are on course, but must be wary of the wicket column.

Sweet cut by Tilak for four midway through the over for four but Omarzai strikes back as the left-hander holes out to deep square.

He was trying to swivel once again and manoeuvre the ball but it’s straight to the fielder who takes a one-handed stunner.

Tilak departs for 26 off 22.

Tilak swivels and, with an almost upright scoop, works Naveen over deep fine leg for six.

Amazing manoeuvring by the left-hander, using the angle from the right-arm seamer, who was around the wicket.

Tilak hooks a bouncer fine for four to finish the over.

Fourteen off this over and India are on the move.