The third and final T20I between India and Afghanistan proved to be a value-for-money match for the fans. The match which was played in Bengaluru on January 17, ended in a tie and went to a double super over, with India coming out victors in the end.
India had posted 212/4 in 20 overs despite being reduced to 22/4 at one stage. Rohit Sharma (121*) hit a record 5th century in T20Is and added 190* runs for the 5th wicket with Rinku Singh (69*).
In response, Afghanistan gave a close fight with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran and Gulbadin Naib hitting fifties. However, the match ended in a tie as Naib failed to score the necessary 3 runs off the last ball.
The first super over ended in a tie as well, as India couldn’t reach the 17-run target and finished on equal to Afghanistan’s 16 runs. The second super over saw India making 11 runs, but Ravi Bishnoi dismissed both the Afghanistan batters to help India win the super over and pocket the series 3-0.
In the first Super Over of the match, India skipper Rohit Sharma was furious with Afghanistan veteran Mohammad Nabi after the latter elected to take an extra double after a throw from wicketkeeper Sanju Samson hit and deflected him. Rohit was upset that Nabi took advantage of the deflected throw, bringing up the sportsmanship issue.
However, R Ashwin shared an interesting take on the matter.
"There are two sides to this story. If we are the affected party on the field, we will get very irritated with whatever happens. We would say we might not have done this if we were on the field. That is our personal opinion and view.
As an Indian cricket fan I can say this - tomorrow, if we are facing a Super Over in a World Cup knockout match, it is two runs to win off one ball and the wicketkeeper's throw deflects off our glove, we will also run. How can a player not run?," Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin believes the batter did nothing wrong by taking those additional few runs. He drew parallels between the circumstance in which a batter receives leg byes or byes against a bowler and the much-discussed event in the third T20I.
"A simple explanation for this will suffice. A bowler is bowling just to pick your wicket. If you hit that ball then you can score a run. When the ball hits the pads, it's a leg bye. When it doesn't meet your body, and the keeper leaves it, it is a bye. When the ball goes wide off the crease, it is wide. When the bowler outstretches the leg, it is no-ball. All these happen when the bowler is trying to take someone's wicket and the run comes off the delivery. In the same way, when a fielder throws, why do they do it? To get you run out I am running, that throw deflects off me, I am within my right to run. Spirit of cricket? Yet again, I'm sorry," he said.
(NDTV inputs)
