[citation needed] Balaji Baji Rao, also called Nanasaheb Peshwa, gave Dattaji Rao command of the subjugated Punjab and Multan provinces, with an army of 18,000 cavalry to stop the Afghan invasion led by Ahmed Shah Durrani, also called Ahmad Shah Abdali.

[citation needed] In March 1759, Dattaji Rao Shinde, reached Machhiwara with a massive army, of approximate 40,000 cavalry men, but just like Raghunath Rao, Dattajirao also did not want to settle down in Punjab on permanent basis, as he was fully determined to root out the main enemy of then Maratha empire, i.e Najib ad-Dawlah Rohilla.

General Jahan Khan then defeated Triyambak Rao's platoon size army of 6,000 men and Abdali moved towards south Punjab immediately.

After this skirmish, Abdali regrouped with Najib ad-Dawlah, and Dattajirao retreated in to the Delhi fort, for rearranging the Maratha garrison for the main battle.

[3][4][5] Today also, Dattaji is remembered in the popular Maratha history for his last words when Qutub Shah & Najib said, "Kyu Patil, aur ladenge" and Dattaji Shinde replied, "kyu nahi.. bachenge to aur bhi ladenge", which he said to the Mian Qutub Shah & Najib ad-Dawlah while dying.