India, June 13 -- Rahmanullah Gurbaz delivered one of the standout innings of his ODI career in the series opener against India, smashing a breathtaking century off just 48 balls to register the fastest hundred by an Afghanistan batter in the format. The wicketkeeper-opener took charge of the innings from the outset and was largely responsible for keeping Afghanistan in the contest despite early setbacks. When he reached his century, the visitors were 135/3 in 14.4 overs.

With rain reducing the match to 25 overs per side, Gurbaz quickly recognised the need for a more aggressive approach and batted with the urgency of a T20 innings. He attacked anything loose and put India's bowlers under sustained pressure, finding boundaries at regular ...