The thrilling third T20I between India and Afghanistan on Wednesday (January 17) took many by surprise including Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott.
It took two super overs to decide the winner of the game. Both India and Afghanistan finished on 212 in their allotted 20 overs, resulting in a tie. In the first super over, Afghanistan managed 16-1, which India matched as the game took another dramatic turn. India needed 2 runs on the final ball but Yashasvi Jaiswal could only manage one run.
It was followed by a second super over. With captain Rohit Sharma hitting a six and a four, India scored 11-2 in the second super over before spinner Ravi Bishnoi sealed the win for the hosts in three deliveries, conceding just one run and taking two wickets.
Jonathan Trott on third T20I:
Speaking at the end of the game, Jonathan Trott began by expressing his surprise over two super overs deciding the match. The game marked the first instance of two super overs in an international game. In the 2019 World Cup final between New Zealand and England, the latter were declared the winners on boundary countback rule after the super over also finished level.
“I have no idea. Has there ever been two Super Overs? That’s what I am trying to say, it is sort of new,” said Jonathan Trott.
“We keep setting these new sort of rules. What I am trying to say is we kept testing the rules, we kept testing the guidelines,” he added.
In 2020, the IPL game between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings was decided by two super overs. Speaking further, Jonathan Trott said that he wanted Azmatullah Omarzai to bowl the second super over as well but was stopped from doing so by the rules.
“It was not communicated. We wanted Azmat to bowl the second over again, Fareed bowled a great over,” Trott said.
“But those sort of things will be explained because it has happened, these things will be explained and done in writing in the future. If those are the rules, that’s great. I just think we had a good game, and I don’t think that should be the talking point,” he added.
