Nitish Kumar Reddy's Heartwarming Moment During Post-Match Presser
A Memorable Post-Match Interaction
In Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, a touching incident unfolded during the post-match press conference after India's first ODI against Afghanistan. Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy received a phone call from his mother while addressing the media following his team's victory.
India triumphed over Afghanistan by seven wickets, thanks to a stellar half-century from captain Shubman Gill and impressive three-wicket performances from debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey. The match was shortened to 25 overs per side due to rain.
After the game, Nitish, who bowled a commendable four-over spell taking two wickets for 31 runs, including the key wickets of centurion Rahmanullah Gurbaz and all-rounder Mohammed Nabi, answered his mother's call. He informed her he would return the call shortly, apologizing to the journalist for the brief interruption, creating a light-hearted atmosphere.
The post-match presser can wait but a call from Mom simply cannot #TeamIndia | #INDvAFG | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @NKReddy07 pic.twitter.com/23OUBNZvYH
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 13, 2026
Nitish joined the national squad following a successful season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), where he amassed 302 runs in 13 innings at an average of 30.20 and a strike rate of 171.59, including a half-century. He also claimed eight wickets, showcasing his bowling prowess.
In the match, India chose to bowl first and quickly reduced Afghanistan to 26/3. Despite this, Gurbaz launched a counter-attack, forming a 116-run partnership with skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi (27 off 30 balls). Ultimately, Afghanistan was bowled out for 194 runs in 24.5 overs.
On debut, Gurnoor Brar (3/27 in 4.5 overs) and Harsh Dubey (3/47) made significant contributions, while Arshdeep Singh and Nitish Kumar Reddy each took two wickets.
During India's chase, they lost Rohit Sharma (16 off 16 balls) just as he was building momentum with Shubman Gill. Gill remained unbeaten at 84 off 66 balls, forming crucial partnerships with Ishan Kishan (34 off 22 balls) and KL Rahul (39* off 19 balls). India successfully chased the target in 22.5 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Shubman Gill was awarded the 'Player of the Match' title.