The third and final T20I between India and Afghanistan which was played in Bengaluru on January 17, 2024, proved to be one of the most entertaining matches of all time. The main match ended in a tie and the game was stretched to two super overs in the end.
India had batted first and thanks to 121* from Rohit Sharma and 69* by Rinku Singh and their 190*-run partnership for 5th wicket, posted 212/4 in 20 overs. Then thanks to a fifties by both openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran and a brilliant later overs surge by Gulbadin Naib, Afghanistan managed to level the scores.
The first super over saw Afghanistan scoring 16 runs and setting India a target of 17 runs. But despite good hitting by Rohit Sharma, India could only manage to tie the super-over.
Then in the second super over, India batted first and scored 11 runs. But Afghanistan failed to chase the runs as they lost both of their wickets to Ravi Bishnoi and India won the super over and the match as well.
One topic of discussion throughout the game was Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi scoring an extra run after the ball had hit his pads while taking a run and straying off its path. Following the game, Team India's head coach, Rahul Dravid, stated that it was all fair till it crossed a line.
“It is part of the game. It is fine. Sometimes you get frustrated that it happens, but it's fair enough, all part of the game. It hit the non-striker and it moved. And I think that’s fine and you can run for those,” Dravid said in the post-match press conference.
Dravid reminded people of an instance in the first T20I where India took a run after the ball deflected after hitting a batter.
“In the first T20, I think there was an incident where the ball hit the bat of one of our batsmen and we took a run as well. So I think there is nothing to read into it and I don’t think there is anything in the rules that stops you from actually taking those runs.
Arguments can happen at the end of tight games. I think when you play for your country, there is so much passion and emotion and I think it is incredible that even in dead rubber games when it gets down to the wire, the competitiveness and passion come out,” Dravid added.
“As long as it doesn’t cross the line, and that’s why we have match referees to look at these things,” he reiterated.
Dravid also said that such displays of passion and emotions were normal in such a tense and tightly fought match.
“Sometimes a little bit of that passion and emotion is really important. It shows how much the players care,” the team’s head coach said.
Indian team players picked for the England Test series will have a couple of day’s break before the squad gathers in Hyderabad on January 20 to prepare for the first Test which will begin on January 25.
(ANI inputs)
