India win epic contest after two Super Overs against Afghanistan
After hitting his fifth T20I ton, Rohit starred again in the Super Overs to wrap up India's clean sweep
After hitting his fifth T20I ton, Rohit starred again in the Super Overs to wrap up India's clean sweep
Scorer: Chandan Duorah | Commentator: Shashank Kishore
As Rohit collects the trophy and hands it over to Rinku and Jaiswal, it's time for me to say goodbye. Hope you enjoyed our coverage. From me, Shashank, along with Monga, Chandan and the rest of our crew, it's goodbye and goodnight from all of us. Look forward to your company when the Test season begins next week with India v England in Hyderabad. There's plenty more cricket on. Australia v West Indies, SA20, the Under-19 World Cup, Pakistan-New Zealand, ILT20 and lots more. We're around to cover each of those in great detail. Cheers and bye bye for now.
Rahul Dravid chats with the host broadcasters, Sports 18. Great game of cricket, fantastic game. Went on and on and on. Incredible batting on display. Rohit and Rinku from our side, some of the hitting from their side also, truly T20 hitting at its absolute best. Great for Bishnoi to be able to land two deliveries perfectly to eight us those two wickets. Our bowling attack was young, just for them to experience this is a great thing for them. Honestly I think Rohit was brilliant today, showed what a class player he can be. The talk was always to be positive. You know you need a big score, in the end that level of hitting, with Rohit the range he has - was superb. Good to have him back, his presence in the dressing room is great. Both Virat and him add a lot to this group. We've been chatting with a lot of our players about opening up squarer part of the wickets, using sweeps and reverse sweep, great to see Rohit leading from the front. Terrific from Rinku, for someone just starting out, it's been a few months, the maturity and calmness, we've seen him come in the back end and finish games off, to come in and build a partnership and show in the back end was great to see. He's very clear about his skills, what his strengths are, what he needs to work on.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, is also the Player of the Match for his century and he's all praise for Rinku Singh "We don't do that in Tests also [having three hits in a day], think it happened once in the IPL (laughs). Creating a partnership was important, kept talking with Rinku to not lose intent. We may find ourselves in such situations in big games where we'd be 30 for 4. It was a good situation to be in with the pressure, was important to bat long, bat deep but not compromise on the intent we wanted to show. In the last couple of series he's played, Rinku can show what he can do. Fearless, keeps himself calm, is very clear about his game plan and knows his strengths very well. He's coming of age, creates an impression every time he gets an opportunity. In the last 10 innings for India, he's done very well. We've wanted someone who can bat in the back end with a clear mindset. You saw how he's done well in the IPL, he's carried that forward here."
Shivam Dube is the Player of the Series for 124 runs and two wickets. "Definitely a wonderful series, you dream of winning this award as an allrounder, happy to have achieved it. We didn't think about the Super Over initially, but it was a great game by both teams. There are many aspects to work on, got to bowl in these three matches, I've learnt many things."
Ibrahim Zadran, the Afghanistan captain: To be honest, happy with the overall performance. We have a lot of positives to take from this series. It'll help us looking ahead to the T20 World Cup. All the boys gave it their best in these three games. We've never played this kind of cricket earlier against the Full Members, especially against India in T20Is. We were excellent in the batting department.
11.25pm Rashid Khan seen having a chat with Ravi Bishnoi. Rahul Dravid is listening in intently. Have you been able to catch your breath yet? We'll have the presentations shortly. But just to quickly sum up, and it feels so long ago to even talk about it now, but India were tottering at 22 for 4 after electing to bat. Rinku and Rohit then batted outstandingly to haul India out. They shellacked 103 off the last five overs to take India to 212.
Afghanistan then came out all guns blazing with Gurbaz setting the tone. Just when it seemed like a lost cause, Gulbadin Naib and Mohammad Nabi muscled big blows to bring them within touching distance. Then with 19 needed from six, they managed to pull the rug from under Mukesh to set the first Super Over up.
Rohit, having become the first man to hit five T20I tons, then muscled two sixes in the Super Over, before retiring out to seemingly have the fresher Rinku do all the running. It still wasn't enough. He had to - and was allowed to - come back again and hit a six in the second Super Over too.
Needing 12 to win, the valiant Afghans ran out of gas, hitting two short-of-a-length legbreaks from Ravi Bishnoi to long-off straight to long-off to end a dramatic night still without an international win against India.
11.23pm Two sets of super overs have been used to decide the winner. A night of high drama has culminated in India's 3-0 series win.
"My heart was beating really fast, but we had a lot of fun," says Ravi Bishnoi. "Both me and Avesh were asked to be ready to bowl the [second] super over, the moment we saw two right-handers come out, I was given the ball. The idea was to bowl back of length to begin with from a little behind the crease. Feeling good to get confidence defending runs in a Super Over win. It feels great, I'm in good rhythm, will work on trying to get better from here."
Rahmanullah Gurbaz c Singh b Ravi Bishnoi
Mohammad Nabi c Singh b Ravi Bishnoi
Nabi will open with Gulbadin. Nope, it's Nabi and Gurbaz. Afghanistan need 12.
Looks like Avesh Khan is warming up. Or is India going the Bishnoi way? Bishnoi it is.
RG Sharma run out
Sanju Samson, not Jaiswal, in at three. He'll also be on strike. Was out first ball when he batted earlier. Here's a shot at redemption. Two big sixes and will be forgotten. Can he be a hero for India?
RK Singh c Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Fareed Ahmad
chants of Kohli Kohli ring around the Chinnaswamy! Or is it Rinku Rinku? Chinnaswamy is absolutely buzzing
Ahmad was outstanding in regulation time with 3 for 20. Can he deliver a clutch over here? Short third, cover at the edge of the ring, long-on, deep midwicket - all in readiness. But the bigger question is, have the umpires erred in allowing Rohit to bat? You'd think he was retired out and not retired hurt in the first Super Over. The rules state those who are out in the first super over can't bat in the second. Hmm. More drama.
Those who bowled the first set of Super Overs can't bowl. That rules Omarzai and Mukesh out.
Fareed Ahmad has been given the ball.
Rohit can bat again if he wants. It will be India's turn to bat now. But you'd think Rinku and Jaiswal will stay on? Or does Rohit come back in? Nabi has a chat with the umpires. He seems to be asking if Rohit can bat again. Yes, he can. Looks like Rohit will come out. Coming back to that last ball of the Super Over, Gurbaz stopped the ball and decided not to throw, seemingly happy to take it to another Super Over instead of tempting fate with an overthrow. Dravid comes out now to have a word with the umpires. Jaiswal goes back in, Rohit and Rinku will open. Oh, what a game!
drama! Rohit walks off retired out. Gamesmanship? Well within the rules. Rinku comes out without a helmet, seemingly to sprint his lungs out to try and complete two. Rohit has a laugh as he goes back into the dug out. Call it excellent game awareness.
RG Sharma retired hurt
We'll have another super over if this ends in a tie. 3 needed off 2
Rohit takes strike. The off-side boundary is the longer side. Mid-on goes back to the rope. Third man is in. There's deep cover too
Jaiswal has his pads on, he'll open with Rohit. That's a surprise move, I must admit. Probably Rinku comes in at three.
Who opens for India? You'd think Rohit and Rinku will come out? Or will it be Kohli at three? A few things to ponder. Omarzai is doing some bowling. Will Afghanistan go spin? It'll be an interesting call to make.
Nabi has a word with Rohit. Kohli is signalling to the umpires how they could be permitted to claim the two extra runs. But the bottom line is because Nabi didn't change direction while running, Afghanistan have been allowed those two runs. How crucial will it be in the overall scheme of things?
Gulbadin Naib run out
Right. We have a decision. Mukesh is lining up to bowl the Super Over. Kohli has a quick chat with him. Mukesh nods and we're ready to go. Gulbadin and Gurbaz are the openers. Presume Nabi comes in three. We'll find out. Let's go.
10.38pm What a game we've had. India are huddled together to decide who bowls. All of them have been taken for plenty. Washington's been the best bowler by a mile. Do they take a chance by bowling him against two set batters? Surely Nabi should come out to open with Gulbadin? This was meant to be a dead rubber, but it's bern a thrill-a-minute ride that has had everyone on the edge of their seats for the last half hour. Exhilarating stuff. As disappointed as he will be with the bowling effort, Rohit won't really mind this experience of playing in a Super Over. The question is who bowls. We'll find out soon.
3 needed off 1.
5 off 2. If this ends in a tie, we'll have a super over.
Harshit: "Mukesh has a habit of bowling no balls. Please don't do it now."
There was a massive gap between point and wide long-off. Dube now moves to cover at the edge of the ring.
Back over the wicket now
After two ducks in two games, Rohit made his highest T20I score. But that was only half the story
For the first time in history, a tied T20 international was decided after not one but two Super Overs
The India head coach was also effusive in his praise for Rinku Singh: "just the maturity he's shown, the calmness is terrific"
The fifth-wicket pair hammered 58 runs in the last two overs of India's innings, a new record in T20Is
Rinku Singh also sparkled on a banner day for India in Bengaluru