Rashid defends eight off the last over to seal 3-0 whitewash
Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah fell desperately short of steering Bangladesh to a consolation win in a match of wafer-thin margins
Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah fell desperately short of steering Bangladesh to a consolation win in a match of wafer-thin margins
11.55pm Asghar Stanikzai collects the trophy and soaks in the landmark moment with his team-mates. Scenes in Dehradun. Afghanistan will next travel to Bengaluru for their maiden Test, which begins on June 14. Many thanks for tuning in. Goodbye and good night for now.
Mushfiqur, Man of the Match: We knew it was going to be difficult in this track. Credit goes to Afghanistan and they deserve the win. Hopefully, we will learn from this. Although, we lost the series we were playing for pride. I thought 145+ was par, but with Mujeeb and Rashid it was tough. We lost early wickets and Shakib, we needed more partnership and boundaries. The wicket, however, was slow. We just wanted to take it to the last over. Rashid is difficult to play. Last ball can go either way.
Rashid Khan, Man of the Series (and Man of the Year already?): I am always trying my best to believe in my skills. I had one plan: whatever happens bowl in good-length area. Whether legspin or wrong'un, I just enjoy. The ball was gripping on a good length and that was my plan. Bowling this area got me success. Full credit to my fitness. If you're fit, you can delivery in any department. Doesn't matter whether I'm playing in league cricket or national team, I just want to enjoy. Thanks to the crowd for the support and love you've given us. We will come again and again to Dehradun. We will give you the best performances.
Shakib: We played better today than last two games. Overall, we have to come up with better plans. I thought we restricted them to reasonable total. We were so close, but in the middle overs that cost us. I thought Mushfiq and Mahmudullah gave us a chance but they could not finish it. These conditions suited Afghanistan and they had quality spinners.
Stanikzai: Good to win the series 3-0. Great preparation for Test match against India. The morale is high. Last couple of years we have performed well. We want to achieve it for Afghanistan. You see the batsmen, bowlers are all in good form. We have a few days for the Test match - thanks for the support.
11.40pm Afghanistan's players go on a lap of honour. What an effort from Shafiqullah. They last ball seemed destined to go to the boundary until he intervened and sealed a memorable 3-0 series win for Afghanistan. Karim Janat was smashed for five successive boundaries in the penultimate over, but that man Rashid Khan finished it off for his team with a stellar final over backed up by stellar fielding. After all, not many can defended eight off the last over.
Sourabh Sriom: "Stanikzai's address to the crowd was heart warming. They have embraced India as their home and Indians have embraced them as one of their own. I am up after working all night just to watch them play. Never thought this would happen for any other team than India."
MahneelMusa: "You think breakups and heartbreaks are tough? Come be a fan of Bangladesh cricket team."
Arunkumar: "Rashid Khan is the only bowler in the world right now that I'll be confident of defending 8 runs in the last over."
Mahmudullah run out 45 (38b 3x4 2x6) SR: 118.42
Rashid, Shahzad, and Gani have a mini-conference. Mahmudullah and Ariful, playing his first game of the series, chat at the other end. Bangladesh need four off the last ball
Bangladesh need eight off four balls
The batsmen crossed over. So, Mahmudullah on strike
Mushfiqur Rahim c Najibullah Zadran b Rashid Khan 46 (37b 7x4 0x6) SR: 124.32
Can Rashid defend eight off the last over? Bangladesh will back their seniors Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah
Without nutrition on bodies bound to flag because of fasting, Afghanistan have religiously maintained admirable training regimes, and it showed
Familiar failings held the team back once again, chiefly the lack of big hitters and the failure of talented longer-format players to adapt to T20
Bangladesh's short history has been full of near upsets and the one in Dehradun will be particularly difficult to swallow
Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah fell desperately short of steering Bangladesh to a consolation win in a match of wafer-thin margins
To do that, they will have to find a way to counter Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi on what is expected to be another spin-friendly pitch in Dehradun