Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Some terrific hitting from India even as it was a flat pitch, and a ground with short boundaries. The partnership of 92 between Jaiswal and Dube took just 42 balls, as India comfortably crossed the line. Now they have just one last T20I to play, after which comes IPL and then the much-awaited T20 World Cup, for which combinations must be decided quickly. But for now, this is it from us today, as India wrap the series. See you, and take care!

Axar Patel is the Player of the Match for his 2 for 17 on a batting-friendly pitch: "Feels great to know this double of stats. But it's more important to play and do well for India; I don't think I'll even remember the numbers after a few years! I was trying to bowl for a few years, but there wasn't that confidence earlier... I developed what I needed to do with my action. The confidence has carried forward. I bowl in the powerplay too. It's not that I can bowl only quickly; I can go slow too depending on the pitch. You need to be prepared to be hit. It's about the mindset, though, as you can change your plans. Now I continuously bowl in the same areas, and challenge the batsman to take chances."

Rohit Sharma, the winning captain: "It's a great feeling [to get 150 T20I caps]. It's been a long journey, starting in 2007. I think we are very clear what we wanted to do and achieve. When you see performances like that, you can feel very proud of it. There's one thing to talk about it, and another to go out and do it. We've ticked almost every box... [Dube and Jaiswal] have had a tremendous couple of years. Yashasvi plays Test cricket and T20 cricket [for India]. He's making full use of the opportunity. And Dube as well - he's got power, and can take down the spinners. We've asked him to do that, and he has played two crucial innings for us."

Ibrahim Zadran speaks first: "We were quite short. We had a good start in the powerplay... Sometimes we play well in the powerplay, sometimes in the middle [overs], and sometimes in the death overs. We are going for the T20 World Cup, so we don't want to repeat these. Gulbadin is the most senior guy in the team; we trust him. He played very well."

Time for the presentations

Niroop: "I wonder how India are going to fit Surya, Hardik and Jadeja into this team when they come back"

Shivam Dube: "I think the skipper is really happy with my performance. We both (Jaiswal and him) are stroke players. He was batting really well. We had a plan that both will be going, so let's finish the match as soon as possible. There wasn't any target [to finish], but we've finished on time! There are many things I have worked on. It's not about skill [only]... being focused on every ball is important. I am working on my bowling as well. Last match was good; this match wasn't on my bowling side. But T20 is like that"

Manu: "IPL will answer many such questions"

10.01pm A crushing win for India, who also take the series. Incredible aggression by Jaiswal and Dube to set this up, with the 173 chase ending with as many as 26 balls remaining. Just note the strike rates here: 68 off 34 for Jaiswal, and 63 from 32 by Dube. Rohit fell in the first over, after which Kohli played an attacking cameo in his first T20I in more than a year. But before all of that, it was Axar Patel's economical stuff which restricted Afghanistan. Hang around for the presentations.

15.4
1lb
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Dube, 1 leg bye, attempts an inswinging yorker, which takes Dube's front pad as he looked to flick. The ball dribbles away, and India clinch the win
15.3
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Dube, no run, another yorker on middle and off at 140kph, as he gets the front leg out of the way to drill to mid-off

Mahesh: "Who will India leave when Suryakumar comes back? Other than Rohit, all are doing great" --- Superb question, which we can think about all night

15.2
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Singh, 1 run, full toss, low on middle. Another attempted swing which is mistimed, this time to wide mid-on
15.1
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Singh, no run, another yorker just outside off, and driven to extra cover

END OF OVER:
15 | 7 Runs | IND: 171/4 (2 runs required from 30 balls, RR: 11.40, RRR: 0.40)

  • Rinku Singh8 (7b)
  • Shivam Dube63 (30b)
  • Karim Janat2-0-13-2
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-27-1
14.6
1
Karim Janat to Singh, 1 run, not really. Short of a length just outside off at 137kph, and pulled to long-on

Final ball of the night?

14.5
1
Karim Janat to Dube, 1 run, yorker bang on middle, as he clears his front leg to whip to long-on
14.4
0
Karim Janat to Dube, no run, change of pace, and on a shortish side of a length. This angles across and finishes outside off, as Dube looked to swipe but was beaten

From over the wicket now

14.3
1
Karim Janat to Singh, 1 run, length ball on off, and another swing with a pull to deep square
14.2
0
Karim Janat to Singh, no run, a, well bowled. Bowls a yorker on middle and off at 135kph, while angling it in, as Rinku jams his bat down at it
14.1
4
Karim Janat to Singh, FOUR, swatted to deep midwicket! The man in the deep ran to his right, but was beaten. On a short of a length just outside off, as Rinku pulled without entirely timing it though

This could entirely be the last over of the day

END OF OVER:
14 | 8 Runs | IND: 164/4 (9 runs required from 36 balls, RR: 11.71, RRR: 1.50)

  • Rinku Singh2 (3b)
  • Shivam Dube62 (28b)
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi3-0-27-1
  • Karim Janat1-0-6-2
13.6
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Singh, 1 run, slower ball, on a short of a length just outside off. Pulled to deep square

Wilson: "Aaaaand... Dube has hit more 4s than 6s..!"

13.5
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Dube, 1 run, yorker length just outside off, and whipped hard to deep midwicket
13.4
4
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Dube, FOUR, pulled to the right of short fine leg! Short of a length again, this time angling into middle and leg, as Dube swivels to find the gap for four more
13.3
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Singh, 1 run, swipes at this length ball shaping back in, for a single to fine leg

The crowd going "Rinku, Rinku"

13.2
0
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Singh, no run, short of a length on fourth stump, and pushed back towards the bowler

Rinku facing his first ball

13.1
1
Fazalhaq Farooqi to Dube, 1 run, short of a length, and wide of off. Pulled to deep square

Farooqi back

END OF OVER:
13 | 7 Runs 2 Wkts | IND: 156/4 (17 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 12.00, RRR: 2.42)

  • Shivam Dube56 (25b)
  • Karim Janat1-0-6-2
  • Naveen-ul-Haq3-0-33-1
12.6
W
Karim Janat to JM Sharma, OUT, taken at mid-off! Jitesh falls with victory in sight, and with a lot of time left. This short-of-a-length ball again seemed to have skidded through on to off stump, taking the higher side of Jitesh's bat, as he looked to swat this back. Nabi got a comfortable catch in the end, as Janat struck again

JM Sharma c Mohammad Nabi b Karim Janat 0 (2m 2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

12.5
1
Karim Janat to Dube, 1 run, swats this short ball to long-off

Naresh: "Disappointing!! Shivam is hitting only fours now"

12.4
1lb
Karim Janat to JM Sharma, 1 leg bye, a confident appeal for lbw by Janat, but not given. And this time they don't review. Bowled on a short of a length, and beaten for pace as Jitesh looked to pull but the ball hit him high on middle stump, and dribbled away to deep third

Jitesh

12.3
W
Karim Janat to Jaiswal, OUT, gone, outside edge behind! Indore is left shocked, as if Jaiswal could never get out. This went off the inside edge, and dipped on to Gurbaz, who went low to grab this. Janat bowled on a length just outside off, angling it into the left-hander, as Jaiswal looked to hack, but did that without any foot movement

YBK Jaiswal c †Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Karim Janat 68 (56m 34b 5x4 6x6) SR: 200.00

12.2
1
Karim Janat to Dube, 1 run, on the bounce to long-off taking a step to his right. Slower ball from Janat, and fuller around off, as Jaiswal again bashed down the ground

India 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st5RG SharmaYBK Jaiswal
2nd57V KohliYBK Jaiswal
3rd92S DubeYBK Jaiswal
4th2S DubeJM Sharma
5th17S DubeRK Singh