The truth is that there is no record of an Afghanistan victory over India in any form of international cricket. While the Afghan side is known to have defeated almost all major cricket nations, India stands out as the only team that has not been defeated by the Afghans.
The Story Behind Afghanistan’s Cricket Journey
It must be pointed out that the team has risen in stature in the last decade or so to become an ICC member. It has created history by defeating nations such as England, Australia, Pakistan, and New Zealand in recent times. Apart from this, some of their spin bowlers, like Rashid Khan, have become world-class cricketers. They’ve won in T20 World Cups and ODI World Cups.
The Closest Afghanistan Came: That Thrilling Tie
The narrowest margin between these two teams happened during the 2018 Asia Cup in Dubai. It was a match that still gets talked about today. Afghanistan scored 252 runs for 8 wickets in their innings. Then India came out and fought hard, but they were bowled out for exactly 252. The match ended in a tie.
It was the final over where everything happened. India needed runs, and Afghanistan needed to protect them. Both teams showed their best. That tie was the closest Afghanistan ever came to beating India.
India vs Afghanistan ODI Head-to-Head Record
The two sides have played 5 One-Day Internationals against each other. India dominates this matchup completely. Let’s look at the numbers:
| Match Type | Total Matches | India Wins | Afghanistan Wins | Ties |
| All ODIs | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
There have been four games won by India, no games won by Afghanistan, and one game finished as a tie.
Every ODI Meeting Broken Down
2014 Asia Cup (Dhaka): India Won by 8 Wickets
This was the first time India and Afghanistan played an official ODI. Afghanistan scored 158 runs. India chased it down easily, winning by 8 wickets. It showed India’s strength against the newer cricket nation.
2018 Asia Cup (Dubai): Match Tied
As mentioned earlier, both teams scored 252. Afghanistan finished at 252/8, and India was bowled out for 252. This thrilling tie happened in the final over when India needed runs.
2019 World Cup (Southampton): India Won by 11 Runs
This match was at the 2019 World Cup in England. India scored 224, which looked low. But Afghanistan could only score 213. India won by 11 runs in a very tight finish. It was one of the closest World Cup matches.
2023 World Cup (Delhi): India Won by 8 Wickets
The 2023 World Cup match was at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Afghanistan scored 272. India chased it down with 8 wickets in hand and 15 overs to spare.
Captain Rohit Sharma smashed 131 runs off 84 balls. This was his record-breaking seventh World Cup century, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar. It was one of the fastest centuries for an Indian in World Cup history. Jasprit Bumrah also took 4 wickets for 39 runs.
2026 Bilateral Series – 1st ODI (Dharamsala): India Won by 7 Wickets
This match was played on June 13, 2026, at Dharamsala. It was the opening match of Afghanistan’s first-ever bilateral ODI series in India. Afghanistan scored a rain-shortened target. Shubman Gill scored 84 not out and guided India to a comfortable win by 7 wickets. India went 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Key Facts About This Rivalry
Afghanistan has beaten every full ICC member except India. This is a unique fact. Apart from this, Afghanistan has been successful in defeating nations like England, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, Wales, and Sri Lanka. However, India is still invincible.
India enjoys an unbroken track record of winning every game played by both teams. This is not common in international cricket. India leads the records with 4 wins, 0 defeats, and 1 tie in ODI.
In 2026, the ODI series will be the first bilateral tour of India for Afghanistan. Before this, all matches were in Asia Cups or World Cups.
What This Means for Cricket
This rivalry shows India’s complete dominance over Afghanistan. At the same time, it shows Afghanistan is a rising force. They’ve conquered everyone else in international cricket. Many fans wonder: will Afghanistan ever beat India? For now, the answer is no. India remains the one team Afghanistan has never beaten. But cricket is unpredictable. With young players like Rashid Khan and Afshin Raza, Afghanistan keeps getting stronger.
