Afghanistan pulled off a sensational tie off the penultimate ball against India in their Super Four stage match of the Asia Cup in Dubai yesterday. Mohamed Shahzad’s 124 lifted Afghanistan to 252-8 in 50 overs while India were all out in 49.5 overs with the scores level.
Title holders India have already qualified for Friday’s final where they meet the winners of Pakistan and Bangladesh match in Abu Dhabi today.
Yesterday, India were on course for a comfortable win as KL Rahul and Ambati Rayudu added 110 for the opening wicket. But once they were dismissed India’s middle order unravelled, leaving them seven to get off the final over, bowled by Rashid Khan, with just one wicket in hand.
Ravindra Jadeja, who had played cautiously till then, launched the leg-spinner for a four. He then took a single to expose No. 11 Khaleel Ahmed, who was only playing his second ODI. Ahmed managed to snatch a single leaving India needing one run from two balls.
However, Jadeja went for a glory shot and hit straight to Najibullah Zadran at deep midwicket as the match ended in a tie.
Earlier, burly opener Shahzad knocked a fighting hundred to lift Afghanistan to a fighting total. The 31-year-old smashed seven sixes and 11 fours in his 116-ball 124 — his fifth one-day century but first against a top nation — to help Afghanistan post a challenging total after they won the toss and batted at Dubai stadium.
With India already in final and Afghanistan out of contention, Shahzad’s knock spiced up the inconsequential match. So dominant was Shahzad that fellow opener Javed Ahmadi was only five in a stand of 65, before India struck four times within the space of 17 runs.
Spinners Jadeja (3-46) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-38) derailed the innings but Shahzad held one end, adding 50 for the fifth wicket with Gulbadin Naib who made 15 and another 48 for the sixth with Mohamed Nabi. Nabi made a fiery 56-ball 64 with four sixes and three boundaries. Shahzad was finally out in the 38th over but by then had given a good platform to his team.
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