In our feature series - Who would have predicted that? – we are looking back at matches where there were big upsets or extraordinary individual performances that turned matches on their head.

 

In MS Dhoni's last ODI as captain, he oversaw the fifth tied match under his leadership. An explosive ton from Mohammad Shahzad and an all-round display from Mohammad Nabi helped Afghanistan earn the tie.

 

Match Summary

 

Afghanistan 252/8 (50 overs) - Mohammad Shahzad 124 (116), Mohammad Nabi 64 (56); Ravindra Jadeja 3/46 (10), Kuldeep Yadav 2/38 (10)

India 252 (49.5 overs) - KL Rahul 60 (66), Ambati Rayudu 57 (49); Mohammad Nabi 2/40 (10), Rashid Khan 2/41 (9.5)

Result - Match tied

 

 With India having won the first and the third matches of the Super Four in Asia Cup 2018 against Bangladesh and Pakistan by 7 wickets and 9 wickets respectively, they had already sealed their final spot.

In the 5th match of the Super Four against Afghanistan, India rested key players in Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. MS Dhoni who had captained in 199 ODIs was entrusted with the captaincy, in the absence of both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, in what was his 200th ODI as captain.

Mohammad Shahzad was like a man possessed. Opening the batting, he struck 124 off just 116 deliveries with 11 fours and 7 sixes as wickets kept falling around him. Mohammad Nabi contributed well with 64 off 56 deliveries as Afghanistan posted 252 runs on the board.

 

Fall of wickets: 1-65 (Javed Ahmadi, 12.4 ov), 2-81 (Rahmat Shah, 14.4 ov), 3-82 (Hashmatullah Shahidi, 15.2 ov), 4-82 (Asghar Afghan, 15.3 ov), 5-132 (Gulbadin Naib, 28.4 ov), 6-180 (Mohammad Shahzad, 37.5 ov), 7-226 (Najibullah Zadran, 44.1 ov), 8-244 (Mohammad Nabi, 47.3 ov)

 

The way India started with a 110-run partnership between Lokesh Rahul and Ambati Rayudu, with both openers scoring half-centuries, it was India's game to lose. However, Afghanistan bowled well as India suffered a collapse.

India were a bit unfortunate as MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik were on the receiving end of wrong umpiring decisions while Kedar Jadhav and Kuldeep Yadav were run-out.

With just one run required to win with two balls remaining, Ravindra Jadeja tried to hoick a shortish delivery from Rashid Khan but ended up with a leading edge which was caught and the match ended in a tie.

Afghanistan departed from the competition with their reputation enhanced.

 

Fall of wickets: 1-110 (Ambati Rayudu, 17.1 ov), 2-127 (KL Rahul, 20.3 ov), 3-142 (MS Dhoni, 25.5 ov), 4-166 (Manish Pandey, 30.3 ov), 5-204 (Kedar Jadhav, 38.5 ov), 6-205 (Dinesh Karthik, 39.4 ov), 7-226 (Deepak Chahar, 44.5 ov), 8-242 (Kuldeep Yadav, 48.1 ov), 9-245 (Siddarth Kaul, 48.5 ov), 10-252 (Ravindra Jadeja, 49.5 ov)

 

Teams

 

India - Lokesh Rahul, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, K Khaleel Ahmed, Kuldeep Yadav, Siddarth Kaul 

Afghanistan - Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, Aftab Alam, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

 

Match Details

 

Match: IND v AFG, Super Four, Match 5, Asia Cup 2018 

DateTuesday, September 25, 2018 

Toss Afghanistan won the toss and decided to bat 

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai 

Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite, Anisur Rahman

Third Umpire: Rod Tucker 

Match Referee: Andy Pycroft 

 

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