Afghanistan hold on to tie after Shahzad’s century
ASIA CUP Keeper slams 124 off 116 balls before bowlers restrict India to
DUBAI: India suffered jitters during the middle overs after a resounding start by makeshift openers, KL Rahul and Ambati Rayudu, as they chased a 253run target set by Afghanistan in a dead Super Four game here on Tuesday.
India, who were coasting at 110 without loss in 17 overs lost three wickets, including that of stand-in skipper MS Dhoni, for 32 runs to let Afghanistan in.
At the time of going into print, India were 164 for three in 30 overs with Dhoni, leading in his 200th game out for eight off 17 balls.
The highlight of the day, however, was Mohammad Shahzad’s hundred that took Afghanistan to 252 for eight.
FREE-FLOWING
While the other batsmen struggled, the unconventional Shahzad played his shots freely, hammering 11 fours and as many as seven sixes. The burly wicketkeeper-batsman seemed to have had the measure of Indian bowlers, including spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav.
Shahzad was no short of inspiration in the middle with his role model M S Dhoni standing behind the stumps.
Later, the experienced Mohammad Nabi produced a handy knock, 64 off 56 balls.
Even as his opening partner Javed Ahmadi struggled to get singles, Shazad entertained the crowd with a barrage of big hits. He was ruthless especially against the rookie Indian pacers Khaleel Ahmed, Siddharth Kaul and debutant Deepak Chahar, who were played in place of the rested Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendar Chahal. Chahar had a forgettable debut even though he picked up a wicket.
The other Indian players rested for the game were captain Rohit Sharma and his opening partner Shikhar Dhawan. Lokesh Rahul and Manish Pandey replaced them in the eleven and as fate would have it, Dhoni stepped on the field to captain India for the 200th time.
The pacers were guilty of bowling too full or too full and Shazad made them pay for their mistakes. Most of his lofty shots were crossed-batted as he cleared his front foot to hit the huge sixes over deep midwicket.