Janat buries Windies to leave series level

vened, removing both off successive deliveries in the fifth over – Gurbaz caught on the second attempt in the deep by Pollard and Zazai carving a slower ball to Brandon King at point.

Holder, whose first over leaked 16 runs, followed up with key strikes as Afghanistan slumped to 97 for six in the 15th over. However, Naib struck two fours and a six in an 18-ball knock, pairing with Najibullah Zadran (20 not out) in a 44run, seventh wicket partnership to get their side to a competitive total.

In reply, the warning signs were there when West Indies crawled to 17 from the first 23 deliveries and then lost King (12), bowled on the backfoot by an inswinging slower ball from seamer Naveen-ul-Haq.

The left-handed Hetmyer lasted 14 balls before being adjudged lbw to Janat in the eighth over and Janat then struck twice in the 10th over to turn the game on its head. First, he claimed Lewis skying to Ibrahim Zadran at long on after the lefthander counted two fours in a 22-ball innings, and then found Sherfane Rutherford’s (6) edge for wicketkeeper Gurbaz to complete a straightforward catch.

With 103 runs required from the last 10 overs, a special innings was required from Pollard (7) but Janat brought one back sharply to hit the right-hander in front in the 12th over, and increase the Windies turmoil.

Jason Holder arrived as West Indies’ last genuine hope of staging a late comeback but struck two fours in 13 before missing a charge at leg-spinning captain Rashid Khan, and going stumped in the 15th over.

Janat

S Hetmyer lbw b Karim Janat

S Rutherford c Rahmanullah Gurbaz Hazratullah Zazai c King b Williams b Karim Janat +Rahmanullah Gurbaz c Pollard *K Pollard lbw b Karim Janat b Williams 15 +D Ramdin not out Karim Janat lbw b Holder 26 J Holder st Rahmanullah Gurbaz b Asghar Afghan c wkp Ramdin b Holder 8 Rashid Khan Ibrahim Zadran c Pollard b Paul 11 K Paul b Karim Janat Najibullah Zadran not out 20 H Walsh c Rashid Khan b Gulbadin Mohammad Nabi c Williams b Paul 3 Naib Gulbadin Naib lbw b Williams 24 K Williams not out *Rashid Khan not out 5 Extras (lb1, w4) Extras (w8, nb1) 9 TOTAL (8 wkts, 20 overs) TOTAL (7 wkts, 20 overs) 147 Did not bat: S Cottrell. Did not bat: Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Fall of wickets: 1-17 (King), 2-34 Ur Rahman. (Hetmyer), 3-45 (Lewis), 4-45 Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Gurbaz), 2-42 (Rutherford), 5-54 (Pollard), 6-69 (Jason (Zazai, 4.3 ov), 3-62 (Asghar), 4-77 Holder), 7-89 (Paul), 8-105 (Walsh) (Karim Janat), 5-88 (Ibrahim), 6-97, Bowling: Mujeeb-ur-Rahman 3-0-10-0, (Nabi, 14.1 ov), 7-141 (Naib) Naveen-ul-Haq 3-0-19-1, Mohammad Bowling: Holder 4-0-23-2, Cottrell 4-045-0, Nabi 3-0-18-0, Karim Janat 4-0-11-5, Williams 4-0-23-3, Paul 4-0-28-2, Rashid Khan 4-0-25-1, Gulbadin Naib 30-22-1. Walsh 2-0-18-0, Pollard 2-0-10-0.

Result: Afghanistan won by 41 runs. Series: Three-match series level at 1-1. Man-of-the-Match: Karim Janat.

Toss: Afghanistan.

AFGHANISTAN WEST INDIES

B King b Naveen-ul-Haq

E Lewis c Ibrahim Zadran b Karim 26 12

14 11

6 7 24

13 11

3 0 5 106