Dost Mohammed fled the dubious hospitality of the Emir of Bukhara and on 2 November 1840, his forces turned around at Parwan Darra to meet British general Robert Sale, where he successfully defeated the 2nd Bengal Cavalry. This was principally because the Indians in the 2nd Bengal Cavalry failed to follow their officers who charged towards Dost Mohammed, "The explanation offered by the cavalrymen for not fighting was "that they object to the English sabres" . The simple fact was that despite Britain's industrial revolution, the handcrafted Afghan jezail and sword were far superior to their British counterparts.

Despite Sale having little to show for the campaign and the trail of devastation left by him, Sale called Parwan Darra a victory. However he was unable to conceal the fact of the 2nd Bengal horse defying orders, and as a result, many British officers were killed. Atkinson, the armies surgeon general, called the encounter a “disaster”, Kaye also called the battle a defeat. However, early in the evening of 2 November 1840, a horsemen identified as Sultan Muhammad Khan Safi rode up to Macnaghten, as with this, he was followed by another lone horsemen, who came up to Macnaghten. This horsemen was no other then Dost Mohammad Khan. Despite his victory, Dost Mohammad Khan surrendered. He was sent to India in exile after hearing rumours of assassination plots against him.