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Afghanistan vs India, 5th Match, Super Four at Dubai, , Sep 25 2018 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
5th Match, Super Four, Dubai (DICS), September 25, 2018, Asia Cup
(49.5/50 ov, T:253) 252

Match tied

Player Of The Match
124 (116)
mohammad-shahzad
New
IND
Full commentary

11.57pm That's all from us at ESPNcricinfo. Don't forget to catch our LIVE SHOW on the ESPNcricinfo homepage with Ajit Agarkar and Sanjay Manjrekar. We'll see you tomorrow for the virtual semi-final between Pakistan and Bangladesh, but till then, on behalf of everyone else here, it's goodbye and goodnight.

11.51pm Time for the presentation. Here are both captains Asghar Afghan and MS Dhoni.

Asghar Afghan: Today's wicket was good for us because it was a spinning wicket, especially for Shahzad. Our spinners were good. Yeah when you tie with a team like India, it's like winning. They usually chase easily. It is good for the fans as well. On this type of track, Shahzad played very positive cricket. What we saw today was the real Shahzad, unfortunately it came in the last match.

MS Dhoni: I think their cricket has gone up a lot. If you see how they've continued playing right from the start of the Cup, it's been commendable. They're the one country that has risen through the ranks. Good batting by them - how they fielded, how they bowled was impressive. I wouldn't say we went wrong. It was like a game of golf because we started with a handicap, we rested our main players. It was very important for the fast bowlers to fall back to the back of a length area when there was no swing full. We lost 5-6 overs there. Shot selection is also something we could have done better at as well. And there were a couple of run-out and there are a couple of things I don't want to talk about because I don't want to get fined. A tie isn't bad for is, we could have been on the losing side.

Mohammad Shahzad is the Man of the Match. He says, "Actually I'm not happy with the result: hot weather, playing in the ground for six hours, it's not fair. I had planned to hit every ball today because we are leaving tomorrow. So I saw the ball, and hit it today. Feeling proud to have played against some good teams of Asia, so happy with my innings. The main game for me is to perform well with the bat. Cheers."

11.41pm The teams shake hands after an excellent game of ODI cricket. The Afghanistan fans celebrate in the stands as the Indian fans look downtrodden. Rashid Khan the hero of the 50th over, but the game was set up by Mohammad Shahzad's 124 and then Mohammad Nabi's all-round show. The second innings was started off by some great batting by the Indian top three, but at the end, it was the middle-order wobble from India that allowed Afghanistan to come back. Afghanistan will leave this tournament with a smile on their faces, and boy, haven't they shown that they belong right among the best ODI teams. We'll be back with the presentation. What a contest we've witnessed.

Rohit: "Congratulations to Afghanistan, by far the second best team in this series. They missed out on crunch moments due to sheer lack of experience. With more matches under their belt they will soon turn out to be formidable opponents. Quite a meteoric rise!"

Harpreet: "I feel majority of Indians are happy with a tie rather than a win for the first time ever!"

Mustafa Moudi: "Big Thanks to both the sides to turn this Dead-rubber into an exciting game !!"

Umair Accenture: "Can we raise a request for a super over please" -- wouldn't that be lovely. But that's only for the final. Apologies for the wrong information earlier.

Bharath Seervi: Jadeja was the main player when India tied their last ODI too - against New Zealand in January 2014. He's played the 50th over while chasing only twice, and both times he's been involved in a tie.

Giriraj: "I feel proud of this Afghanistan team , Pure dedication & sportsmanship, finally cricket wins ... "

sravan: "Dhoni's captaincy and a tie! We all know what that means, the cup is India's."

Sriram: "Match tied, cricket won !! Its no longer a game of super powers vs minnows "

49.5
W
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, OUT

back of a length outside off, and this spins into Jadeja. He mistimes a pull, and the ball goes straight in the air! Taken at midwicket, and the game is tied! The Indians are disappointed as Afghanistan celebrate. There's no Super Over folks. That's only for the final. Rashid takes a wicket off his worst delivery of the match, but Jadeja was cramped, and therefore paid the price. The Afghans celebrate as if they've won. The Indians are shell-shocked in the pavillion.

Ravindra Jadeja c Najibullah Zadran b Rashid Khan 25 (34b 1x4 0x6) SR: 73.52

The Afghan shoulders have dropped.

India need 1 off 2.

49.4
1
Rashid Khan to Khaleel Ahmed, 1 run

full outside off, and the googly has been inside-edged to short fine leg! Khaleel went for the drive, and he had no clue what Rashid had bowled. Chance of a direct-hit at the bowler's end too, but Khaleel survives. Scores are tied

Rashid v Khaleel. Surely the bowler has the upper hand? Big conference going on.

Dharma: "whatever happens, well played Afghanistan. you ran all 3 teams close in the super 4."

Raj: "As a hardcore Indian fan, this may be the first and only time in my life that I won't be feeling sad even if India loses today! Hats off to AFGHANISTAN!!! I hope they become a stronger force to reckon with in the future. "

49.3
1
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, 1 run

full on eg stump, and Jadeja flicks this to square leg for a single. Was that smart? Khaleel on strike. Two to win, one to tie

Rohit Sharma is shocked

49.2
4
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, FOUR runs

full on middle stump, and Jadeja slog-sweeps this into the boundary! Picks the legbreak well and smashes this towards the leg side. The ball hits the skirting right on the full and therefore the umpire needs to check. Will it be a four or a six? That's the million-dollar question. Given as a four

49.1
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, no run

half-tracker outside off, and spinning further away. Jadeja drags a slog towards the leg side, and the ball goes to deep midwicket. But Jadeja refuses the single

The crowd's on its feet. Jadeja asks for a change in gloves.

end of over 496 runs • 2 wickets
IND: 246/9CRR: 5.02 RRR: 7.00
Ravindra Jadeja20 (30b)
Khaleel Ahmed0 (0b)
Aftab Alam 10-0-53-2
Rashid Khan 9-0-35-1
48.6
1
Aftab Alam to Jadeja, 1 run

full on leg stump, and he flicks this to fine leg for a single. India need seven runs, Afghanistan need one wicket

Rohit Sharma has come to have a chat with Jadeja.

48.5
W
Aftab Alam to Kaul, OUT

full and straight on middle stump, and that's been driven to mid on for a quick single. Hashmatullah picks the ball up and releases it super fast, and his throw gets the direct hit! The umpire goes up to the third umpire.. .and Kaul is short! India are nine down.

Siddarth Kaul run out (Hashmatullah Shahidi) 0 (1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0

Discussion between Aftab and Asghar.

48.4
1
Aftab Alam to Jadeja, 1 run

yorker on middle stump, and Jadeja pushes this down the ground to wide long-on for a single. Eight off eight

48.3
Aftab Alam to Jadeja, no run

short outside off, and Jadeja goes for the pull! He slices the shot, and it's in the air... but the ball falls short of Rashid at short midwicket. Rashid then picks up the ball and has a shy at the bowler's stumps, but he misses the direct hit. Kaul would definitely have been out

Shekhar: "Watching staying up at Mumbai. But suddenly not sure which team I should cheer!!"

48.2
2
Aftab Alam to Jadeja, 2 runs

back of a length on off, and he paddles a sweep into the gap on the leg side. A couple for Jadeja as Kaul responds well to his partner's call

India need 11 off 11. Can it be a tie?

48.1
2W
Aftab Alam to Kuldeep, 2 runs, OUT

full on leg stump, and Kuldeep backs away and drives through the covers. Great impact off the bat and they're coming back for the third. Could be dangerous as the throw is flat from the deep. The bowler collects the ball and throws down the stumps at the bowler's end before Kuldeep can complete the third. Importantly that's two runs, and the strike is with Jadeja, but Kuldeep must walk back

Kuldeep Yadav run out (Gulbadin Naib/Aftab Alam) 9 (11b 0x4 0x6) SR: 81.81

With Rashid due to bowl the 50th over, surely this over from Aftab will be the one that Jadeja and Kuldeep will go after. How much do you think India would be happy to chase off the final over? I think five and under, so India need atleast 8

end of over 484 runs
IND: 240/7CRR: 5.00 RRR: 6.50
Ravindra Jadeja16 (26b)
Kuldeep Yadav7 (10b)
Rashid Khan 9-0-35-1
Aftab Alam 9-0-47-2
47.6
2
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, 2 runs

flighted on middle, and he drives this low full-toss past the midwicket fielder. Chase for Najibullah near the boundary, but he manages to cut it off. India need 13 off 12

47.5
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, no run

full on middle stump, and Jadeja's quick to get down and defend with soft hands

RRR more than 6 now

47.4
1
Rashid Khan to Kuldeep, 1 run

full on leg stump, and swept hard! Beats the fielder at square leg, but there's a fielder manning the boundary

47.3
Rashid Khan to Kuldeep, no run

big appeal for lbw! But would've missed the stumps. Length ball on middle, but turning into his pads. Impact on leg stump, so an easy decision for the umpire

47.2
1
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, 1 run

too full on middle, and he closes the bat's face to work this towards deep midwicket for a single

47.1
Rashid Khan to Jadeja, no run

full on middle, and spinning wildly past the outside of his bat. Jadeja tried to defend but his bat was nowhere near the ball

Rashid.

end of over 476 runs
IND: 236/7CRR: 5.02 RRR: 5.66
Ravindra Jadeja13 (22b)
Kuldeep Yadav6 (8b)
Aftab Alam 9-0-47-2
Mohammad Nabi 10-0-40-2
46.6
1
Aftab Alam to Jadeja, 1 run

back of a length outside off stump, but the slower ball has been pulled to deep midwicket. India need 17 off 18

tense faces in the crowd.

46.5
1
Aftab Alam to Kuldeep, 1 run

good length on middle, but angling down leg. Easily flicked off his pads to fine leg for one

46.4
1
Aftab Alam to Jadeja, 1 run

attempted yorker on middle, but eventually a low full toss. Caressed down the ground to long on for a single

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Super Four
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BAN3214-0.156
PAK3122-0.599
AFG3021-0.044
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