The 2018 Asia Cup witnessed one of the most thrilling clash between India and Afghanistan, as the two teams played out a remarkable tie on September 25 in Dubai. Though it was a dead rubber in terms of the tournament, the drama it delivered made it a memorable contest. Here is a look at how the match unfolded.
Shahzad's brilliance
Afghanistan batted first and, as they had done throughout the tournament, showed tremendous grit. The star of their innings was wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad, who played a brilliant knock of 124 off 116 balls. His innings was a mix of power and precision, as he took on the Indian bowlers fearlessly. His century helped Afghanistan reach a respectable total of 252 for 8. Mohammad Nabi (64 off 56), too chipped in and his knock down the order boosted Afghanistan’s score.
For India, spinners Ravindra Jadeja (3 for 46) and Kuldeep Yadav (2 for 38) were the standout bowlers, keeping Afghanistan in check despite Shahzad's brilliance.
India’s strong start turns wobbly
India's chase began on a positive note, with openers KL Rahul and Ambati Rayudu setting a solid platform. Rahul made an impressive 60 off 66 balls, while Rayudu scored a fluent 57 off 49. Together, they added 110 for the first wicket, giving India the upper hand.
However, Afghanistan’s spinners started making inroads soon after. Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman applied pressure in the middle overs, and India’s middle order crumbled under it. Skipper MS Dhoni, playing his 200th ODI as captain, fell for just 8, trapped LBW by Javed Ahmadi. India's chase began to lose momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals.
A tense final over
{{/usCountry}}However, Afghanistan’s spinners started making inroads soon after. Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman applied pressure in the middle overs, and India’s middle order crumbled under it. Skipper MS Dhoni, playing his 200th ODI as captain, fell for just 8, trapped LBW by Javed Ahmadi. India's chase began to lose momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals.
A tense final over
{{/usCountry}}Despite losing key wickets, India still had hope with Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. The equation came down to seven runs needed off the final over, with Jadeja and Khaleel Ahmed at the crease. Afghanistan turned to their talisman Rashid Khan to bowl the last over.
Jadeja smashed what initially appeared to be a match-winning six on the second ball, but it turned out to be a boundary, leaving India needing two runs from the final two deliveries. Khaleel scrambled for a single, handing Jadeja the strike with one run to win from the last ball. In a dramatic conclusion, Jadeja mistimed a shot and was caught at deep mid-wicket, handing Afghanistan a memorable tie, their first-ever in ODI cricket.