India vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2018 Highlights: India were bowled out for 252. (Source: AP)
India vs Afghanistan, Asia Cup 2018 Highlights: Ravindra Jadeja played a major role the last time India tied a match in 2014. The only two times he has played until the 50th over of an ODI has been when India have tied a match and that is an extraordinary stat considering the fact that India have thus far played just seven tied ODIs so far. Moreover, MS Dhoni’s first ODI match as captain was a tied affair. This one here was his 200th. Stats galore in Dubai after a truly thrilling game of cricket. Regardless of who wins in the final, Afghanistan have been the toast of the tournament.
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MS Dhoni: 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. Good batting by them - how they fielded, how they bowled was impressive. I wouldn't say we went wrong. It was like a game of golf because we started with a handicap, we rested our main players. It was very important for the fast bowlers to fall back to the back of a length area when there was no swing full. We lost 5-6 overs there. Shot selection is also something we could have done better at as well. And there were a couple of run-out and there are a couple of things I don't want to talk about because I don't want to get fined. A tie isn't bad for is, we could have been on the losing side.
Asghar Afghan: Today's wicket was good for us because it was a spinning wicket, especially for Shahzad. Our spinners were good. Yeah when you tie with a team like India, it's like winning. They usually chase easily. It is good for the fans as well. On this type of track, Shahzad played very positive cricket. What we saw today was the real Shahzad, unfortunately it came in the last match.
vs West Indies, Perth 1991
vs Zimbabwe, Indore 1993
vs Zimbabwe, Paarl 1997
vs England, Bengaluru 2011
vs England, London (Lord's) 2012
vs Sri Lanka, Adelaide Oval 2012
vs New Zealand, Auckland 2014
vs AFGHANISTAN, DUBAI 2018
When was the last time you have seen this happen. One run to win and what does Jadeja do? He picks up the one fielder that is there in the deep. Extraordinary stuff this. Afghanistan are celebrating this like a win and why shouldn't they. They have been terrific throughout this tournament and simply did not deserve to lose this match, or even any of the others. A rare tied ODI match then.
Jadeja hits a four off the second ball of the over but that could also have been six. He slog sweeps it and it is not clear as to whether the ball hit the boundary directly or not. It is given as four and Jadeja runs a single after that. Which means Khaleel Ahmed is facing the third last ball of the over.
Right then, this is what it has all come down to. India 's toughest matches in this tournament have been against the 'minnows' Afghanistan and Hong Kong. How predictable was that. Rashid Khan with the ball, Jadeja on strike, one wicket and six balls left, 7 runs to go
Now Siddharth Kaul is run out. Tried to get the single but Hashmatullah gets a direct hit. Afghanistan have been on fire in the field today.
GONE! Kuldeep Yadav Run out off the first ball. That is also two runs and Jadeja is on strike.
Four runs off that over, Rashid will certainly be bowling the last over. And so the man with the ball for the 49th over is Aftab.
Right here we go. Afghanistan have absolutely applied the breaks on an Indian innings that was absolutely flying during that opening partnership between Rahul and Rayudu. Jadeja and Kuldeep in the middle.
Jadeja and Kuldeep run a single, the ball is thrown in from the boundary to the keeper and ricochets off his glove straight on to the face of the fielder standing right behind him. He was a substitute fielder and now he needs a substititute.
Straight through the gates and Chahar has to walk. This is a brilliant performance by Afghanistan. India haven't been too rash in their shot selection but Afghanistan have stuck to their guns and chipped away steadily.
India's first four in 45 balls comes off the willow of Deepak Chahar. Keeps the pressure at bay with that one. India need 29 to win off 36.
Afghanistan are doing a monumental pull back here. They have stopped India's flow of runs and the wickets have taken a toll. But, India need to deal with just singles now. Their required rate remains very much in control.
Nabi bowls this one straight and Karthik fails to connect. Pitched on leg, impact on leg but there is the possibility that the ball may have gone down the leg side. Big breakthrough here and India will start feeling the heat now.
Oh what a way to go! Karthik hits it straight back to the bowler along the ground and Mujeeb manages to get a hand on it, it hits the stump and the bowler appeals. Umpire goes upstairs and ticks all the boxes, Kedar has to walk.
Karthik and Jadhav now seem to have a grip on the matters. India's deficit down to 51 needed off 72 balls.
Karthik has moved to 41 off 55 balls while Kedar Jadhav is on 4 off 15 balls. India now need 57 to win off 84 balls.
Rashid Khan has been brought back into the attack. The required run rate remains very much in control but the frequent wickets are hurting India. Afghanistan have their tails up at the moment.
And the fourth one falls. Manish Pandey tries to hit it through the off side and nicks it to the keeper. Karthik had berated him in the previous ball due to a mini mix-up that almost got him out. Wonder if that had any effect on Pandey.
India's deficit is now in the two-digit region now. Manish Pandey is in the middle with Dinesh Karthik. Afghanistan are tight in their fielding, hardly a misfield throughout this innings.