Rohit's record-breaking ton matched by Afghanistan's resistance, Men in Blue win after two Super Overs

BENGALURU: Following a record-breaking century by skipper Rohit Sharma and a fantastic batting effort by Afghanistan batters Rahmanullah Gurbaz, skipper Ibrahim Zadran and Gulbadin Naib, it took two Super Overs to separate both the sides as India beat Afghanistan by 11 runs after the match and the first Super Over ended in a tie here at Bengaluru during the third T20I on Wednesday.

In the chase of 213 runs, Afghanistan started off with positive intent, with openers Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz scoring at a rate of nine runs per over.

Afghanistan reached the 50-run mark in 5.5 overs. Afghanistan ended the powerplay at 51/0 in six overs, with Zadran (29*) and Gurbaz (22*) unbeaten.

Afghanistan ended the first half of their innings with a bang, smashing Shivam Dube for 18 runs, including two fours and a six.

Afghanistan was 85/0, with Gurbaz (44*) and Zadran (38*) unbeaten.

India got their first breakthrough in the next over, removing Gurbaz for 50 off 32 balls, with three fours and four sixes. Afghanistan was 93/1 in 11 overs.

With Zadran hitting Washington Sundar for a six, Afghanistan reached the 100-run mark in 12.1 overs. Zadran reached his fifty in 41 balls, with four boundaries and a six.

Sundar helped India earn a comeback into the game, getting Zadran (50) and Azmatullah Omarzai (0) on successive deliveries, reducing Afghanistan to 107/3 in 12.4 overs.

Mohammed Nabi and Gulbadin Naib kept hitting despite these two quick wickets. The duo hit Avesh Khan for 20 runs in the 14th over, with two sixes and a four.

Nabi's two sixes helped Afghanistan get 17 runs from Kuldeep's next. At the end of 15 overs, the match was even, at 145/3, with Nabi (19*) and Naib (20*) unbeaten.

Afghanistan reached the 150-run mark in 15.2 overs. Bishnoi's 16th over was also hit for 17 runs, including two fours and a six by Nabi.

Afghanistan needed 51 runs in four overs. The all-rounder Nabi's entertaining cameo off 34 in 16 balls, with two fours and three sixes is ended by Sundar. Afghanistan was 163/4 in 16.2 overs after Avesh Khan plucked a catch at deep point. Karim Janat was run out for just two. Afghanistan was 167/5 in 17.1 overs.

Wickets kept falling for Afghanistan as Najibullah Zadran was dismissed for five runs. Avesh Khan took the wicket while Virat took the catch. Afghanistan was 182/6 in 18.2 overs. Afghanistan needed 19 runs in six overs. Smashing Mukesh Kumar for a four and a six, Naib brought down the equation to three runs in the final ball.

The match ended in a tie, with Afghanistan finishing at 212/6, with Naib (55* in 23 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) and Sharafuddin Ashraf (5*) unbeaten.

Sundar (3/18) was the pick of the bowlers for India. Avesh and Kuldeep took a wicket each.

Afghanistan batted first in the Super Over and set a target of 17 runs for India after the Super Over was bowled by Mukesh Kumar. India managed to take the equation to two runs in one ball and the Super Over as well ended in a tie. Rinku was sent by Rohit to run on the final ball of the Azmatullah Omarzai bowled over, but only one run was made.

In the second Super Over, Rohit and Rinku Singh came out to bat against Fareed Ahmed. With a four and six by Rohit, India managed 11 runs but lost two wickets, taking the target to 12 runs.

Ravi Bishnoi came to bowl for India and got Mohammed Nabi on the first ball. After a single, Bishnoi also removed Gurbaz, winning the game by 11 runs. Earlier, a record-breaking century by skipper Rohit Sharma and a half-century by Rinku Singh helped India reach a massive 212/4 in 20 overs following an early loss of wickets against Afghanistan in the third T20I at Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Opting to bat first, India had a bad start as they lost opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and star batter Virat Kohli for a golden duck on back-to-back balls by Fareed Ahmed in the third over. Jaiswal's catch was picked by Mohammed Nabi for just four runs while Ibrahim Zadran caught Virat at mid-off to reduce India to 18/2 in 2.4 overs.

Afghanistan was all over the India batters as Azmatullah Omarzai removed Shivam Dube for just one after being caught behind by Rahmanullah Gurbaz. In the fifth over, Sanju Samson was out for a golden duck after being caught by Nabi, giving Fareed his third wicket. India was 22/4 in 4.3 overs.

Then the pair of skipper Rohit and Rinku Singh joined forces to help India gain recovery. At the end of the powerplay in six overs, India was 30/4, with Rinku (2*) and Rohit (13*) unbeaten. The eighth over by Saleem Saifi gave away 14 runs, including two sixes by Rohit. India reached the 50-run mark in 8.4 overs.

Halfway through the innings, India was 61/4, with Rohit (27*) and Rinku (19*) unbeaten. In the 12th and 13th overs, Rohit and Rinku gathered a lot of runs, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Qais Ahmad were smashed for 16 runs each, with Rohit hitting two fours and two sixes and Rinku getting a six. India reached the 100-run mark in 13.2 overs. Rohit reached his 30th T20I fifty in 41 balls, with five fours and three sixes. At the end of 15 overs, India was 109/4, with Rohit (55*) and Rinku (36*) unbeaten.

The 16th over by Saleem gave away 22 runs, including two fours and a six. The 19th over bowled by Azmatullah yielded 22 runs for India, including two fours and a six by Rohit and a six by Rinku. Rohit brought up his 5th T20I century, most by a batter in the format.

The final over by Karim Janat leaked 36 runs as Rohit smashed a four and two sixes and Rinku's three sixes came on the final three balls.

India finished at 212/4, with Rohit (121* in 69 balls, with 11 fours and eight sixes) and Rinku (69* in 39 balls, with two fours and six sixes) unbeaten. Both combined to form a 190-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Faheem (3/20) was the pick of the bowlers for Afghanistan.