New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi took three-fors each as India thrashed Afghanistan by 127 runs and sealed a 3-0 series win at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. India previously reached 221/7, thanks to a blistering 108 off just 34 balls by Abhishek Sharma.
By reaching his hundred off 30 balls, Abhishek became the new record holder for the fastest T20I century by a batter from a Test-playing nation, and the quickest men’s centurion in the shortest format for India – bettering Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball effort in 2017. Though Afghanistan pulled things back with regular wickets in the second half to keep India in check, them going four down inside the powerplay meant they were never in the hunt to chase it.
With Reddy and Bishnoi picking up 3-25 and 3-26, respectively, Afghanistan were bowled out for 94 in 14.1 overs as India swiftly completed the demolition job. In the pursuit of 222, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who had not scored a run in the series so far, got off the mark by backing away and steering a short-of-length ball from Reddy behind point for four, and hit the next ball between cover and point for another boundary.
Ibrahim Zadran, on strike for the fifth ball, picked up a short one over square leg for six, as 15 runs came off the opening over. After Gurbaz and Zadran hit three more boundaries collectively, Afghanistan’s slide began. Axar Patel struck with his first ball as Gurbaz backed away to sweep but missed the delivery, leaving the stumps in a mess.
Three balls later, Sediqullah Atal top-edged a slog sweep, and Abhishek ran in from deep midwicket to take it. Bumrah then yorked Darwish Rasooli with a 140 kmph delivery while Yash Thakur had Zadran caught at deep square leg for 25. With Afghanistan four down in the power play, the game’s result became a foregone conclusion, and the pattern repeated yet again.
Debutant Noor ul Rahman, dropped by Tilak Varma at long-off, made 11 off 15 balls before Bishnoi had him miscuing in the deep. Reddy then returned to get his second three-wicket haul on the trot – Mohammad Nabi swung across the line at a length ball that stayed low, skidded under the inside edge and knocked the stumps over.
Azmatullah Omarzai went after a leg-cutter on a good length and skewed it off the outside half to sweeper cover, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman could not get his bat down in time and was bowled for a duck. Bishnoi finished off the game by castling Rashid Khan and then had Abdullah Omarzai caught in the deep to seal a thumping victory for India.
Brief Scores: India 221/7 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 108, Sanju Samson 50; Azmatullah Omarzai 2-27, Abdullah Ahmadzai 1-38) beat Afghanistan 94 all out in 14.1 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 25, Azmatullah Omarzai 17; Nitish Kumar Reddy 3-25, Ravi Bishnoi 3-26) by 127 runs
–IANS
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