IND v AFG: Bishnoi and Rohit’s brilliance seal epic thriller as India clinch series in historic double super over

Bengaluru, Jan 17 : India beat Afghanistan in a double super over to complete a 3-0 lead in the 5-match T20I series at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

With this victory against Afghanistan, Skipper Rohit Sharma now has the most T20I wins (42) as Indias captain in mens cricket.

From the outset, the script seemed to favor India, who won the toss and opted to bat first.However, Afghanistans bowlers had other plans, wreaking havoc on the Indian top order and reducing them to a precarious 22/4 within the first powerplay.

Just when the momentum seemed to slip away, Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh emerged as the saviors, conjuring a magical partnership that defied the odds.

Rohit Sharmas masterclass took center stage as he crafted his fifth T20I century, a remarkable unbeaten 121 off 69 balls.

Rinku Singh played the perfect supporting role, finishing unbeaten on 69* off 39 balls.The duos extraordinary 190-run partnership propelled India to a commanding total of 212/4 in 20 overs, with Afghanistan conceding 17 extras in the process.

Rohits blade danced with grace as he notched up his fifth T20I century, a feat that propelled him to the summit of centuries in the format, most by any batter in T20I, leaving behind the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Suryakumar Yadav.The innings, a masterpiece crafted with finesse, saw Rohit amass an unbeaten 121 off 69 balls, marking his highest T20I score and the fourth-highest individual score for India in T20Is.

In a stellar display of partnership, Rohit found an able ally in Rinku Singh, and together they orchestrated a monumental stand.The duos unbroken partnership of 190* runs not only became the highest for India in T20Is but also surpassed the 176-run milestone set by Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson against Ireland in 2022.

The record-breaking spree continued as India amassed 58 runs in the last two overs of their innings, setting a new benchmark for the most runs scored by any team in the 19th and 20th overs in all mens T20s.This phenomenal achievement eclipsed Nepals 55 runs against Mongolia in the previous years Asian Games.

The 20th over, bowled by Karim Janat, added another chapter to the record books as Rohit and Rinku plundered 36 runs.This remarkable feat equaled the record for the most runs conceded in an over in mens T20Is, a distinction shared with the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard.

As the innings reached its crescendo, Indias score surged to 103 runs in the last five overs, a rare accomplishment in mens T20Is.Only one other team had achieved this feat before - Nepal against Mongolia in 2023.

Rohits leadership prowess shone through as three of his five T20I centuries were achieved while captaining India.This milestone saw him draw level with Babar Azam for the most T20I tons as captain, marking a testament to his batting prowess and captaincy acumen.

The tale took an unexpected twist with Rinku Singhs heroics.Batting at No.6, he notched up an unbeaten 69*, the highest score by an Indian in that position in T20Is.His remarkable innings etched a new narrative, surpassing Axar Patels previous record against Sri Lanka in Pune in 2023.

The climax of this cricketing saga revealed Rohits age – 36 years and 262 days – making him the oldest player from a Test-playing nation to score a century in T20Is.This landmark achievement surpassed the previous record held by the formidable Chris Gayle.

Afghanistans response was equally valiant, with openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran setting the stage with impressive half-centuries.Gulbadin Naibs heroic unbeaten 55* off 23 balls pushed the match into a Super Over, where the drama only intensified.

Washington Sundar emerged as Indias hero with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets for 18 runs in his three overs.Kuldeep Yadav and Avesh Khan, though expensive, managed to make crucial breakthroughs.

Indias fielding prowess was on full display, contributing to the pressure on the Afghan side.

The first super over ended in a deadlock, with both teams scoring 16 runs each, setting the stage for a historic second super over.

In a nerve-wracking climax, India successfully defended 11 runs, and it was the young sensation Ravi Bishnoi who etched his name in the annals of cricketing folklore.

Bishnois exceptional spell saw him take two wickets in three balls, sealing Indias victory and breaking Afghanistans resilient spirit as India clinched the 5-match series 3-0.

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