Prasidh Krishna’s fiery spell leaves Afghanistan reeling in third ODI

Team India eyes a series whitewash as Afghan top-order collapses under a relentless pace attack in Chennai.

The Chennai sun was unforgiving, but not as much as Prasidh Krishna. As the अफ़ग़ानिस्तान बनाम भारत clash entered its third ODI, the visitors found themselves staring into a familiar abyss. After winning the toss and opting to bat, captain Hashmatullah Shahidi’s side was dismantled within the first powerplay. By the 11th over, the Afghan scorecard read a dismal 38/4, with every single wicket claimed by a rampant Prasidh Krishna.

The carnage began early, with the Indian pace battery finding immediate movement. The Afghan top-order, including Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rahmat Shah, and Ibrahim Zadran, had no answer to the bounce and precision generated by Krishna. The fielding support was equally clinical; skipper Rohit Sharma was at the heart of the action, snapping up three crucial catches in the slip cordon to ensure the pressure never eased.

Tactical shifts and the search for rhythm

Both camps entered the field with significant personnel changes. Afghanistan, clearly looking to salvage some pride in this final primary outing, shuffled their lineup with four swaps, bringing in veterans like Mohammad Nabi and Fareed Malik to stabilize the ship. India, having already secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the sports series, utilized the dead rubber to test their depth. The inclusion of Harsh Dubey, Nitish Reddy, and the returning Prasidh Krishna signals a clear intent from the management to broaden the talent pool ahead of tougher international assignments.

The dismissals were textbook, yet aggressive. Darwish Rasooli’s exit in the 9th over—a high catch snaffled by a retreating Shreyas Iyer—highlighted the lack of comfort the Afghan batters felt against the short ball. As the cricket action unfolds, the partnership between Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai is now the only thing standing between the visitors and a total collapse.

Why it matters

This performance is more than just a stats-sheet filler. For India, the clinical dismantling of a top-tier associate rival demonstrates the immense bench strength available to Rohit Sharma. While the series was already locked, the hunger shown by the bowlers suggests that the hierarchy within the national squad is becoming increasingly competitive.

For the Afghan side, this series has been a steep learning curve. Their struggle to handle pace on neutral or home-like tracks remains a recurring concern. With the score currently hovering in dangerous territory, the bigger picture here is the widening gap between India’s reserve-heavy XI and Afghanistan’s core, a reality that will likely force the Afghan board to re-evaluate their preparation strategy against high-velocity seam bowling.