Controversy erupts over Afghanistan's ODI tie with India
Star spinner Rashid Khan secured a remarkable tie for Afghanistan with a wicket on the penultimate ball of India’s innings in the Super Four one-day international match in Dubai on Tuesday.
But fans erupted over the result, questioning why T20-style super overs weren’t used to decide an outright winner.
Stockily built Mohammad Shahzad knocked a brilliant hundred, his 124 laying the foundation of Afghanistan’s fighting total of 252-8 in 50 overs before bowling out India in 49.5 overs for the same total at Dubai stadium.
Needing seven to win off the final Rashid Khan over, Ravindra Jadeja hit a boundary off the second ball before taking a single off the next. Last man Khaleel Ahmed then took a single but Jadeja holed out off the fifth ball to give Afghanistan a morale-boosting tie with the defending champions.
Shahzad shared his disappointment with the lack of super overs, saying he was happy with his innings but wanted a win – not a tie.
“Actually I’m not happy with the result: hot weather, playing in the ground for six hours, it’s not fair,” the star batsman said.
The ICC’s Twitter account hastily tweeted the result with the expectation that a super over would take place to split the teams.
The post was deleted moments later but not before fans captured the blunder – and then aired their own thoughts on the matter.
When even ICC has given up on ODI format. pic.twitter.com/cK9gYttVqm
— Bhosdi Waley (@bhosdiwaley) September 25, 2018
Am I the only one who jumped with joy when Jadeja got caught thinking that there'll be a super over only to be left disappointed that match tied will be the final result. 🤦😂#INDvAFG
— Jeffrey Jebakumar (@jj7jeffrey) September 25, 2018
But why no super over??
— Amit (@amit_bhandu) September 25, 2018
Why no super over in odi?
One team should winner.— Abhishek Singh (@abhibhavesh123) September 25, 2018
Just Imagine if there was a Super Over to decide the Winner 😂
How awesome it would've been.. #INDvAFG #AFGvIND pic.twitter.com/7P7HttQeZl
— Monish (@Mraniac) September 25, 2018
A super over could have added more fun in this game but…. Anyhow! #INDvAFG
— Atif Mughal (@aatifmughal) September 25, 2018
A moment of silence for those who were getting excited thinking they will get to watch a super over. #INDvAFG
— Sahir (@The_Sahir) September 25, 2018
Also I thought the super over concept was introduced this year in #AsiaCup2018 #INDvAFG 🤔🤔
— GunJan tripathi (@gungun005) September 25, 2018
WE WANT SUPER-OVER!
— 🎯DEVENDRA SAINI🎯 (@DevendersainiS) September 25, 2018
I wish there was super over in this match! #INDvAFG
— Vishwam Ahuja (@AhujaVishwam) September 25, 2018
How many of you thought that Super over will happen once match got tied & later you remember that its not a 20-20 match.. 😂😂
— Parsi Muslim (@shamshir_gaya) September 25, 2018
Also, why didn't we have a super over? Anyone? Is that a T20 thing only? pic.twitter.com/yKHkSplyqe
— . (@tyagiG) September 25, 2018
What..There is no Super Over in ODIs😕#INDvAFG #AFGvsIND #Asiacup2018 https://t.co/RqUoRfse7B
— #Jaggu Duffer (@jagdishkkumar) September 25, 2018
Disappointing that a tie in an ODI match does not end in a Super Over. #INDvAFG
— Sumit (@_RKSumit) September 25, 2018
I cannot comprehend what just happened, we tied against AFG? Wtfman!!!!!
There should be a super over in Asia Cup to settle this misery ugh
— RB. (@piggy_chopps) September 25, 2018
India rested five top players — skipper Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar — as they had already qualified for Friday’s final.
The winner of Wednesday’s match between Pakistan and Bangladesh will meet India in the final in Dubai.
India were helped to 110 by openers Lokendra Rahul (60) and Ambati Rayudu (57) and at 166-3 they looked on course for an easy win but Afghanistan pulled back through key wickets.
Rahul hit five boundaries and a six in his 66-ball knock while Rayudu’s 49-ball innings had four sixes and as many boundaries.
Dinesh Karthik made 44 and Jadeja scored 25 to bring India closer but India could not cross the finish line.
Spinners Rashid and Mohammad Nabi, and paceman Aftab Alam finished with two wickets apiece.
Despite crashing out with two defeats Afghanistan can hold their heads high as they beat Sri Lanka and Bangldesh in the first round and only lost to Pakistan in the final over.
MS Dhoni blames chasing batsmen
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, leading in place of Sharma, said his bastmen were at fault
“Our shot selection is also something we could have done better at as well,” said Dhoni.
“A tie isn’t bad for us, we could have been on the losing side.”
Dhoni praised Afghanistan’s progress at internaional level, saying: “I think their cricket has gone up a lot. If you see how they’ve continued playing right from the start of the Cup, it’s been commendable. They’re the one country that has risen through the ranks.”
Afghanistan captain Asghar Afghan said a tie was equivalent to a win.
“When you tie with a team like India, it’s like winning,” said Asghar. “They usually chase easily. It is good for the fans as well. On this type of track, Shahzad played very positive cricket.”
Earlier, Shahzad knocked a fighting hundred and Mohammad Nabi scored 56-ball 64 to lift Afghanistan after they won the toss.
The 31-year-old Shazad smashed seven sixes and 11 fours in his 116-ball 124 — his fifth one-day century but first against a top nation.
So dominant was Shahzad that fellow opener Javed Ahmadi was only five in a stand of 65, before India struck four times within the space of 17 runs.
Left-arm spinners Jadeja (3-46) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-38) derailed the innings but Shahzad held one end, adding 50 for the fifth wicket with Gulbadin Naib who made 15 and another 48 for the sixth with Mohammad Nabi.
Shahzad was finally out in the 38th over but by then had given a good platform to his team – even if he was a little disappointed by the end of the night.
with AFP