Dube fifty fires India to easy win against Afghanistan

Shivam Dube proved his utility in India's crowded batting line-up with a belligerent half-century to secure their six-wicket victory against Afghanistan in the opening T20 International in Mohali on Thursday.

Left-hander Dube gave a good account of himself ahead of the T20 World Cup in June with an unbeaten 60 off 40 balls to help India overcome a 159-run target with 15 balls to spare.

Electing to field, India restricted Afghanistan to a modest 158-5.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (23) and Ibrahim Zadran (25) put on a 50-run opening partnership but it was Mohammad Nabi's 42 off 27 balls that helped Afghanistan cross the 150-mark.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel led India's disciplined bowling effort, claiming 2-23 in his tidy four overs.

The home side were rattled early in their chase with skipper Rohit Sharma, playing his first T20 International in more than a year, run out for a duck in the first over.

Rohit drove the ball to mid-off and embarked on a quick single but Shubman Gill at the other end was busy watching the ball leading to an almighty mix-up that led to his captain's dismissal.

Gill struck 23 but was stumped after he came dancing down the track only to miss the delivery from offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Tilak Varma (26) combined with Dube in a breezy 44-run stand to steady India but departed after Gulbadin Naib took a blinder at backward square leg.

Jitesh Sharma fell after a quickfire 31 but Dube could not be denied his half-century, which came in 38 balls, and he celebrated the milestone with a monster six before sealing their victory with a four.

The teams move to Indore for the second T20 of the three-match series on Sunday.

INDIA: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar

AFGHANISTAN: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (capt), Rahmat Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman