India inflict whitewash on Afghanistan after double Super Over drama in the final T20I

It was a dramatic affair at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as India went on to secure a mind-bending thriller that had every fan on their feet. After Afghanistan tied the match by scoring 212/6 in their chase of 213, the first Super Over also finished on an impasse that led to another 12 balls of madness. Bringing about a radical change with Ravi Bishnoi introduced into the attack in the second Super Over with Afghanistan needing to score 12, Rohit Sharma sealed the fate of the contest as the visitors felt overwhelmingly short of the required numbers on the board.

Winning the toss, Team India opted to bat first. Much to the shock of the fans and the world alike, the Men in Blue were jolted to a rude awakening as they crumbled down to 22/4 from five overs. With Rohit watching in utter disbelief and ghastly horror, the visitors roared louder than ever with the entire stadium coming to an eerie standstill.

Yet, with the Indian skipper in the center and an incoming Rinku Singh giving him company, hope continued to linger on for the Men in Blue. Even though it was extremely faint and slender in nature at the start, the Indian captain started fighting back and did so in destructive fashion.

Rinku Singh played the perfect two to tango at the other end as the duo ushered India to a momentous 212, racking up more than 180 runs in the final 15 overs. Rohit blasted an unbeaten 121 from just 69 balls, smashing 11 fours and eight sixes and in the process became the first batter to score five centuries in men’s T20Is, while Rinku remained rooted at the other end, clubbing a 39-ball-69, a knock that featured two fours and six sixes.

For the Indian bowlers who thought that it was a job very well done, they were in for an infamous epiphany. Rahmanullah Gurbaz (50) and Ibrahim Zadran (50) got Afghanistan off to a dream start. Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar did well to get rid of the Afghan openers while the latter added another telling blow, removing Azmatullah Omarzai for a golden duck.

Mohammad Nabi (34) knitted a sharp shard of resistance alongside the ultimate hero for the visitors, Gulbadin Naib, as the duo knitted together a crucial 56-run stand. Following the departure of Nabi, despite wickets toppling at the other end, Naib didn’t just hold on to one but also fired on all cylinders, saving the best for the last. The final over from Mukesh Kumar saw Afghanistan equalling India’s total on the final ball of the over as Naib punched heroically above his weight to stay unbeaten for a staggering 55 from just 23 balls.

For everyone who thought that this was the ultimate drama unfolding ahead of their eyes, it was just the tip of the iceberg revealing itself. Naib, who rocked the Bengaluru pitch with a blazing half-century in the match, was removed first ball as Kohli’s rapid throw was collected and Sanju Samson whipped off the bails with consummate ease. However, Rahamnullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Nabi did a decent job of steering the Afghan ship to a warring total as they posted a target of 17 runs for India.

Despite a slow start with just two singles from two balls, Rohit Sharma whacked a couple of maximums to swing the game in India’s favour , only for a late resurgence from Azamatullah Omarzai to restrict them to 16, forcing another Super Over in the process.

Rohit Sharma came out to bat again after retiring in the preceding over and smashed a six and a four in the first two balls. After taking a single on the third ball, India were dented as Rinku was caught behind and on the very next ball, an attempt to steal a bye went in vain as Rohit was run out at the keeper’s end.

With 12 runs needed to script a historic win, Afghanistan were in for a rude shock as Bishnoi produced mishits from Nabi off the first ball and Gurbaz two balls later as the visitors lost their two wickets for just a solitary run on the board, handing India a famous win to seal a 3-0 T20I series whitewash.