Former India opener Aakash Chopra reckons the Indian team were wrong in complaining about Mohammad Nabi taking extra runs after the ball hit his body during the first super over in the third T20I against Afghanistan. The third T20I between India and Afghanistan ended up being a nail-biting contest between the two teams with the Men In Blue emerging as winners.
Mohammad Nabi got two additional runs through overthrow off the last ball of the first Super Over during the third T20I at the M Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Although the first Super Over also ended up in a tie like the main game, the Men in Blue eventually clinched the victory in the second Super Over as they bowled out Afghanistan for just 1 run while defending 11 runs.
Reflecting on the first Super Over, Aakash Chopra opined that Rohit Sharma and company weren’t right in questioning Nabi‘s decision to run. In a video on his YouTube Channel, he said, “A bye was taken off the last ball. Sanju Samson threw the ball, it hit Nabi’s leg and they ran two extra runs. One was available and India gave one because they were complaining about the spirit of the game. India were wrong in complaining. You could have restricted them to two runs and you conceded a third just like that.”
The reputed commentator cited the example of a World Cup final to further support his stance.“My question is, assuming had it been the last ball of a World Cup final and the extra run you were getting after the ball hit the pads was deciding the match, would anyone not run there? Would anyone be ready to lose the World Cup by not taking that run because it is ethically incorrect? Everyone would have run,” Chopra explained.
Afghanistan scored 13 runs off the first five balls of the first Super Over. They ran a three while trying to steal a bye off the final ball when Sanju Samson’s throw hit Mohammad Nabi on his leg and deviated to long-on where Virat Kohli picked up the ball and instead of looking to throw the ball, he opted to complain. Meanwhile, Afghanistan completed the third run and the tally moved to 16.
India Won The Game In The Second Super Over
India won the match in the second Super Over after
Rohit Sharma scored 11 and then went with Ravi Bishnoi to bowl the second Super Over.
Ravi Bishnoi took two wickets in just three deliveries to win the game for India and he held his nerve on a crucial stage to prove his strong mentality. Rohit Sharma was the Player of the Match for his sensational knock of 121* in 69 balls including 11 fours and eight sixes. Shivam Dube was the Player of The Series as he scored 124 in just three games including consecutive half-centuries.
India will now face England in a five-match Test series with the first game commencing on January 25 at the Rajiv Gandhi international stadium in Hyderabad. This series against Afghanistan was the last for Team India in the shortest format before the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 which will commence on June 1 and is scheduled to be hosted jointly by the West Indies and the United States.
