The 2018 Asia Cup tie was a testament to the rise of Afghanistan as a powerhouse in white-ball cricket. (Image: @surya_14kumar/X, formerly Twitter)
The 2018 Asia Cup fixture between India and Afghanistan is remembered as one of the most thrilling fixtures in limited-overs cricket in recent times.
India and Afghanistan played out a historic tie in the Asia Cup six years ago on this day (September 25). The 2018 Asia Cup fixture between the two sides is remembered as one of the most thrilling fixtures in limited-overs cricket in recent years. It seemed impossible to separate the two sides at the Dubai International Stadium as they showcased resilience and competitive spirit.
It was the 36th tie in the format and India’s first in four years. Prior to that game, they had last drawn an ODI game against New Zealand in January 2014 at Eden Park, Auckland.
The epic Asia Cup game began with Afghanistan winning the toss and electing to bat first in Dubai. A spectacular century from Mohammad Shahzad was the highlight of their innings.
The Afghanistan opener scored 124 runs facing 116 balls, smashing 11 boundaries and seven sixes. Shahzad’s aggressive approach helped Afghanistan build a solid foundation against the Indian bowlers.
Towards the end of the innings, Mohammad Nabi added 64 runs to help Afghanistan finish with a total of 252 at the loss of eight wickets. Ravindra Jadeja was India’s most impactful bowler as he put up figures of 3/46 in his 10-over spell. Kuldeep Yadav also made it difficult for Afghanistan by picking up two wickets while giving away 38 runs.
In response to Afghanistan’s respectable tally, India started the run chase strongly with impactful knocks from its opening batters KL Rahul and Ambati Rayudu. Both scored half-centuries following which Dinesh Karthik added another 44 runs.
As India seemed to be on the verge of a comfortable victory, Kedar Jadhav was dismissed in an unfortunate run-out. With Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi chipping away, the Men in Blue went on to lose frequent wickets in the next few overs.
The match entered a climax stage in the final over with India needing seven runs to seal a victory.
Ravindra Jadeja who had played a crucial knock was on strike. With just one run needed off the final delivery, Jadeja attempted to play a big shot.
Unfortunately, Jadeja was dismissed for a lbw.
This led to both teams finishing the game with 252 runs for a tie.
The 2018 Asia Cup tie was a testament to the rise of Afghanistan as a powerhouse in white-ball cricket. It also highlighted the unpredictable nature of the sport while showcasing the importance of composure and strategy in such close games.
