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A ‘Double Super Over’ drama unfolded in Bengaluru as Ravi Bishnoi turned the match on its head and helped India get the better of Afghanistan by 10 runs to sweep the three-match series 3-0 on January 17, Wednesday. With this win India have become the team with the most clean sweeps in T20Is, pipping Pakistan. Now India have recorded nine clean sweeps in T20Is, one more than Pakistan.
Teams with most clean sweeps in T20Is
India- 9
Pakistan- 8
England- 4
Australia- 3
New Zealand- 3
South Africa- 3
Double Super Over unfolds in Bengaluru
In the high-stakes Super Over chase of 17 runs, Rohit Sharma, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, took charge for India. The duo initially struggled, managing only 2 runs from the first two balls as they failed to make solid contact. However, Rohit shifted gears, hitting a six and a four off the next two deliveries bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai. The drama escalated when, with just 2 runs needed from the final ball, Rohit Sharma retired himself out, strategically allowing Rinku Singh to bat. Despite this move, India couldn't seal the win in the first Super Over, ending up tied at 16 runs with Afghanistan.
The excitement continued as the match progressed to a rare second Super Over. Batting first this time, Rohit Sharma again made an impact, hitting a six and a four against Fareed Khan. After taking a single, he passed the baton to Rinku Singh. There was confusion over whether Rohit could bat in the second Super Over after retiring in the first. The match officials confirmed his eligibility, as he hadn't been dismissed in the first Super Over.
India quickly reached 11 runs off 3 balls in the second Super Over. But Rinku Singh was caught behind for a duck, and Sanju Samson, batting at No. 3, couldn't turn the tide. Rohit Sharma's run-out left India all out for 11. In the end, it was Ravi Bishnoi who became the hero for India, taking two wickets and conceding just one run in the second Super Over, ensuring a thrilling win for India in one of the most memorable T20I matches.
Gulbadin Naib's heroics
Facing a target of 213, Afghanistan seemed on the brink of defeat, needing 31 runs in the last 10 balls. However, Gulbadin Naib's remarkable unbeaten 55 off 23 balls drove the match into a super over. Afghanistan remained competitive until around the 13th over, when Washington Sundar's consecutive wickets shifted the momentum. The spinners also claimed a key wicket later in the match, ending with commendable figures of 3/18 in three overs in this high-scoring game. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and captain Ibrahim Zadran each scored 50, contributing to a 93-run opening stand. Post Sundar's impactful 13th over, Mohammad Nabi (34 off 16) and Gulbadin Naib crafted a swift 57-run partnership in just 24 balls, reigniting hope for the visitors. Nonetheless, Sundar dismissed Nabi in the 17th over, and a run out by Sanju Samson in the subsequent over kept Afghanistan trailing. It was Gulbadin's explosive batting at the end that brought the game to an unexpected climax.
Rohit's record-breaking century
Earlier, captain Rohit Sharma, in a stunning display of skill, scored his fifth T20I century, most by any batter in T20Is, leading India's recovery from an early batting collapse to a formidable score of 212/4 against Afghanistan in the final T20I on Wednesday. Rohit's unbeaten 121 (69b, 11x4, 8x6) and Rinku Singh's 69 not out (39b, 2x4, 6x6) resulted in an impressive and unbroken 190-run partnership for the fifth wicket, revitalizing India from a shaky start of 22 for four after deciding to bat first. While the statistics are impressive, Rohit's innings was more measured than outright aggressive, as he adapted his game to the precarious situation faced by his team. Rinku also displayed controlled aggression, which effectively contributed to their powerful partnership.
Rohit employed a seldom-seen reverse sweep to disrupt the Afghan spinners, successfully scoring his first T20 fifty since October 2022 with this shot against leg-spinner Qais Ahmad.
Rohit's innings also featured his signature and enthralling pull shots, including a remarkable one-legged pull off pacer Mohammed Saleem that soared into the second tier.
This half-century eventually blossomed into a century off 63 balls, his first T20I hundred since his 111 against West Indies in Lucknow in 2018, achieved with a sliced boundary off Omarzai. This score also surpassed his previous T20I high of 118 against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017.
Meanwhile, Rinku played a vital role, maintaining his end with maturity while unleashing his power when opportunities arose, like his six off Saleem, on his way to his second T20I fifty.
The rest of India's top order, however, struggled, failing to match Rohit's performance and leaving him to handle a challenging situation.
India's aggressive batting strategy, a key feature of their new T20 approach, showed its risks during this match.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was the first to be dismissed, caught by Mohammed Nabi off Fareed Ahmad's cramped delivery. Virat Kohli, welcomed enthusiastically by the crowd, fell to a rising ball from Ahmad, caught just inside the circle. Sanju Samson, replacing Jitesh Sharma, was out on his first ball to Azmatullah Omarzai, caught by Nabi. Amidst this, Shivam Dube's attempt to steer the ball to third man only led to him being caught behind the stumps.
Ahmad finished his first spell with an impressive 3-0-10-3, leaving India at 30 for four at the end of the powerplay.
However, Rohit found his form at a crucial moment, helping India amass 182 runs in the remaining 14 overs, with a remarkable 93 runs coming in the last five overs as the Indian batters kicked into high gear.
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