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Team India Lights Up Bengaluru By Winning In Second Super Over Against Afghanistan
By CricShots - Jan 17, 2024 11:57 pm
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A night of high drama unfolded at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday as India defeated Afghanistan in a nail-biting finish to clinch the three-match T20I series 3-0. The match went down to the wire, requiring two super overs to decide the winner, highlighting the thrilling contest between the two sides. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, was the star of the show, etching his name in T20I history by becoming the first batsman to achieve five centuries in the format.

Team India
Team India registered a thrilling win

After consecutive ducks in the first two matches against Afghanistan, Sharma made a stunning comeback with a match-winning century in the third T20I. His remarkable innings of 121 runs off 64 balls, featuring 10 fours and 6 sixes, played a pivotal role in rescuing Team India from a precarious position at 22/4. Sharma’s last T20I century was in 2018 against West Indies, where he scored an unbeaten 111 at Lucknow.

This century, however, surpassed his previous record, highlighting his dominance in the shortest format. The skipper, along with Rinku Singh’s aggressive 69, led India to a commanding position against Afghanistan’s bowling attack in Bengaluru. The remarkable turnaround showcased Sharma’s resilience and ability to bounce back, ultimately steering India to a formidable total in the third T20I.

WATCH – Sanju Samson’s Masterful Stumping Dismisses Afghanistan Captain Ibrahim Zadran In T20 Clash

Eventually, Team India registered a mammoth score of 212/4 in their quota of 20 overs owing to some brutal hitting from both Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh in the slog overs. For context, they amassed as many as 103 runs in the last 5 overs including 36 runs in the final over. Also, Rinku also amassed his second T20I fifty and on both occasions he came out to bat in the powerplay overs.

Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh made a huge partnership of 190 runs

Afghanistan then came out all guns blazing with Rahmaullah 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.

WATCH – Virat Kohli’s Superb Fielding Heroics: Six-Saving Marvel In Bengaluru

Rohit, having become the first man to hit five T20I tons, then muscled two sixes in the first Super Over while chasing 17 runs, 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 as well but Team India lost two wickets on teh last two balls.

Needing 12 to win, the valiant Afghans ran out of gas, hitting two short-of-a-length leg breaks from Ravi Bishnoi to long-off straight to long-off to end a dramatic night still without an international win against Team India.

Here is the video of the final moments:

India’s victory in the third T20I was a thrilling culmination to a hard-fought series. Rohit Sharma’s record-breaking century and the team’s fighting spirit in the super overs were the key takeaways from the match. Afghanistan, despite their valiant efforts, fell short once again and will be looking to learn from their mistakes as they prepare for future challenges.

Here is how the netizens reacted to India’s thrilling win after two super overs: