India reached a historic milestone in ODI cricket on Wednesday, posting 402 all out against Afghanistan in the second match of their three-game series at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. The total drew them level with South Africa at the top of the all-time list for 400-plus scores in one-day internationals, with eight each. It also secured the series for the hosts, who had arrived in Lucknow already holding a 1-0 lead.
The innings was built on a platform that any format would find difficult to contain. Captain Shubman Gill contributed 154 off 110 balls, and Ishan Kishan blazed 125 off just 79 deliveries, the two combining for a 224-run third-wicket partnership that formed the spine of the total. For those who follow multiple sports and explore markets beyond cricket - including field hockey betting - the sheer volume of runs produced in Lucknow underlines just how relentless India's batting depth has become across disciplines and formats.
India also wrote a singular footnote into the record books: they became the first team in ODI history to post a 400-plus total and still be dismissed before the 50 overs were up, falling with one ball to spare. It is the kind of statistical curiosity that speaks both to the firepower at the top of their order and to the enterprise of Afghanistan's bowlers, who refused to simply concede easy runs even against such imposing opposition.
Gill and Kishan Carry India to the Landmark
India had a disrupted start. Yashasvi Jaiswal fell early to Mohammad Saleem Safi, and Rohit Sharma, who looked steady and struck six fours and two sixes, was removed by Rashid Khan for 48. That brought Kishan to the crease at number four, and from that point the innings shifted gear entirely.
Gill had reached his fifty with a six off Nangeyalia Kharote, while Kishan brought up his half-century in the 28th over. What followed was extraordinary acceleration. The left-hander scored 53 runs in just 19 balls after reaching fifty, and the 33rd over produced two centuries in the same six deliveries - Gill completing his ninth ODI hundred, his first since taking on the captaincy full-time, and Kishan arriving at three figures moments later for his second ODI ton. The partnership ended in the 37th over when Kharote had Kishan caught for 125, an innings laced with 14 fours and seven sixes. Gill pressed on to 154 before his own departure in the 42nd over, having hit 22 fours and two sixes. Shreyas Iyer chipped in with 26, and Washington Sundar's 19 ensured the side crossed 400.
Afghanistan's Bowlers Kept Fighting
Against such a total, Afghanistan's bowling figures could easily be misread as a capitulation. They were not. Kharote finished with four wickets - a genuine return on a day when conditions favoured batsmen - while Rashid Khan, still the most dangerous spinner in this format outside the very top tier, claimed three. Allah Ghazanfar and Safi took one apiece. The wickets matter: they are the reason India did not bat the full 50, and they provide Afghanistan with some dignity heading into the third match.
Where This Stands in ODI History
India's 402 is now the second-highest total ever recorded against Afghanistan in ODIs, sitting behind Australia's 417 for six made in Perth in 2015 and just ahead of England's 397 for six in Manchester in 2019. As for the broader record of 400-plus totals, the standings now read as follows:
- 8 - South Africa
- 8 - India
- 7 - England
- 3 - Australia
England, for context, are one behind and remain capable of climbing the list; Australia's tally of three reflects their historical preference for building innings rather than detonating them. But it is India's trajectory that stands out. Under Gill's captaincy, this team has shown an appetite for big totals that goes beyond mere power-hitting - it is structural, with depth in the order and the tactical clarity to press advantages hard. The series is sealed. The third match in Lucknow gives Afghanistan a chance to salvage something, and India the opportunity to continue fine-tuning a side that is clearly aiming for more than just bilateral series wins.