It was another thrilling night in Bengaluru, the ‘Garden City’. The game’s ebbs and flows were so intense that, despite both teams scoring over 200 runs, it came down to two Super Overs to determine the winner. Bengaluru witnessed a spectacle of shot-making, and in a game where neither team had a clear advantage until an astonishing Super Over – followed by another – India emerged winners in the first-ever double-super-over T20I. Afghanistan’s wait for a win over India continues.
To sum up the two super overs in short, the brilliance of Ravi Bishnoi and Rohit Sharma outshone that of Fareed Ahmad and Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
Earlier in the evening, in one of the most remarkable turnarounds in T20Is, India bounced back from 22 for 4 to reach a formidable 212 for 4. The chief architects of this comeback were Rohit and Rinku Singh, who forged an unbroken 190-run partnership for the fifth wicket in just 95 balls. With the ball, Washington Sundar played a crucial role, claiming three wickets in his three-over spell while conceding only 18 runs.
Rohit entered the match under scrutiny to see if he could break his run drought from the previous two games. He responded emphatically by smashing his fifth T20I hundred. The match witnessed a dramatic beginning as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli fell off consecutive deliveries, with Kohli departing for a golden duck.
Fareed Ahmad, one of the three changes made by Afghanistan, claimed the wicket of Jaiswal. Immediately after, Kohli miscued a shot and was caught by Ibrahim Zadran, the Afghanistan skipper, leaving India at 22-2. Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson were dismissed in the next few overs. Dube, who had scored fifties in the previous games, managed only a run before falling to Azmatullah Omarzai, and Fareed struck again in the next over, sending back Samson for a golden duck. India found themselves struggling at 22-4.
Rohit found himself in need of support to propel India to a respectable total, and that assistance came in the form of Rinku, who had a rare opportunity to bat in the powerplay. Adopting a different batting role, Rinku displayed his prowess.
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After initially grappling to find their rhythm, both batters eventually launched an aggressive assault on the Afghan bowlers. Afghanistan had control until the 15th over, but the dynamics were altered when Rohit changed his bat. The last five overs witnessed a remarkable display of power-hitting, leaving everyone gobsmacked. Rohit notched up his century, accelerating from 50 in 41 balls to 100 from just 64 deliveries. His unbeaten innings of 121 in 69 balls featured 11 fours and 8 sixes.
Rinku played an outstanding knock, scoring an unbeaten 69 in 39 balls. The final five overs produced 103 runs, highlighted by a flurry of sixes from the duo. India’s innings concluded with a massive total of 212, as 36 runs came off Karim Janat’s final over.
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Chasing 213 was never going to be easy for the visitors. However, the Afghan openers, Gurbaz and Zadran, ensured they didn’t stumble early. While not scoring at a brisk rate, they found a way to score and survived the powerplay without losing their wickets. Afghanistan had a solid start to their run chase, reaching 51 on the board after the first six overs. They continued their partnership by rotating the strike and finding occasional boundaries. At the halfway mark, Afghanistan had ten wickets in hand and needed 128 more runs.
The run-rate was never an issue on a small ground like the Chinnaswamy, especially with all ten wickets in hand. Both openers departed after scoring their respective fifties, with Gurbaz dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav, and Zadran outfoxed by Sundar. Soon after Zadran’s dismissal, Omarzai got out, and India pulled things back.
Mohammad Nabi and Gulbadin Naib then showcased their experience, forming a fifty-run stand in just 18 balls, once again changing the complexion of the match. Sundar, who appeared to be the best bowler, broke the partnership by getting Nabi out in the 17th over. Afghanistan’s designated finishers, Janat and Najibullah Zadran, couldn’t step up on the night and were dismissed cheaply. With 19 runs needed off the last over, Gulbadin was there for the Afghans and he, along with Sharafuddin Ashraf, managed to whack 18 runs off Mukesh Kumar.
Ultimately though, India just about held on.
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