Match Center

Right then, that is it from this game where India registered a dominating victory over the Afghans and bagged the series. They will eye for the whitewash now while Afghanistan will play for some pride and finish on a positive note. The 3rd and final T20I will be played on 17th January, Wednesday at 7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Axar Patel is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his excellent bowling on this flat track. He says that he is feeling a lot less cold here. Tells that you always feel good seeing these numbers (On his 200th T20 wicket), but when you play a lot for India, that feels even better. Mentions that he has worked on varying his pace in the last couple of years but has not found the confidence, but he is in a good place now. Says he can now bowl in the Powerplay and in the death as well, and tries to let the batters take the risks and then change according to the situations. Further adds that it is all about believing in yourself, and he is happy with his performances in recent times.

Rohit Sharma, the victorious skipper of India says that it's a great feeling to play 150 matches and it's been a long journey since 2007 and that he has cherished every moment. Says that they were pretty clear with the approach and he's very proud of the way the batters executed every plan with precision. Lauds Dube and Jaiswal and say that they have been hitting the ball cleanly and have matured with time. Says that their range of shots is pretty incredible and that they have asked Dube to play attacking and he is doing exactly what he is told to do. Adds that both of them took on the spinners with some powerful hits which sealed the game then and there. Ends up saying that he has come out and played two crucial innings for them and hopes that he continues to do so further as well.

Ibrahim Zadran, the captain of Afghanistan says that they were a lot of runs short here. Adds that they started well with the bat, but in the middle overs lost their way and then finished well. Tells that they play well in patches, but haven't been consistent enough throughout a full game. Mentions that they need to stop committing mistakes as the T20 World Cup is coming up shortly. Praises Gulbadin Naib for his knock and says that he is the most senior and everyone trusts him which has paid off for the tram.

Presentation Time...

Shivam Dube, one of the architects of this chase is up for a chat. He says that he is very happy to get an opportunity to contribute for the team and that the skipper is very happy with him. Adds that he and Yashasvi Jaiswal are both stroke players and know each other's game pretty well. He says that his job in the middle was to take on the spinners, and even Jaiswal was hitting it cleanly which was an advantage. And then they both decided to finish off the game as soon as possible. Adds that there are many things that he has worked on in the past few months. Being focused is more important to him, and he says that he is also working on his bowling, says that he didn't bowl well in this game which is part and parcel of the sport. Ends up by saying that he will continue to contribute whenever needed.

Earlier in the game, Afghanistan posted a fighting total courtesy of a quick-fire fifty from Gulbadin Naib with good contribution from Najibullah Zadran, and quick-fire cameos from Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Karim Janat towards the end. Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers for India with three wickets while Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel got a couple each, and Shivam Dube chipped in with one as well. While chasing, we got to see some classy shots from Virat Kohli and then it was all about the Jaiswal-Dube show at Indore which blew away the Afghans and helped the hosts clinch the series.

Afghanistan, on the other hand, will be really disappointed with their bowling effort here. They got the early breakthrough through Fazalhaq Farooqi but failed to build on that. Firstly, they couldn't stop Virat Kohli and once they got rid of him, it was the two youngsters from India who took them to the cleaners and showed them how to bat on a flat surface like this. Karim Janat managed to get two scalps in one over and was the only positive for them, along with Farooqi who also did well. Naveen-ul-Haq got one wicket as well, but that was never going to be enough against this explosive batting lineup of India.

Despite losing skipper Rohit Sharma for a duck, India got off to an absolute flier with Yashasvi Jaiswal continuing to show his aggressive game, but to the surprise, Virat Kohli also took an attacking approach and played a quick-fire cameo of 29 off just 16 balls with five eye-catching boundaries on his return to T20Is. Both of them utilised the Powerplay well and built up a half-century stand. Shivam Dube then joined Jaiswal and wasted no time as both of them went hammer and tons. They punished the bowlers all around the park, and it was a scintillating display of power-hitting from these two. They added 92 runs together in absolutely no time and made this chase look like a cakewalk, and in doing so, they notched up their respective fifties as well. Jaiswal couldn't stay till the end as he was dismissed for 68 off just 34 balls. However, Dube did not stop there and stayed unbeaten on 63 off just 32 balls and finished the job alongside Rinku Singh with 26 balls to spare.

INDIA SEAL THIS SERIES IN SOME STYLE! All the eyes were on Rohit Sharma who was playing his 150th T20I, and Virat Kohli who made his return to the side, but the limelight in this game was stolen by the two youngsters, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube with their breathtaking power-hitting in this game. With that, they take an unassailable lead and also win their 15th consecutive T20I series at home.

And that will do it! India seal the series and in what style? Hurls it on the pads and Shivam Dube looks to flick it off but misses and the ball thuds the pads and trickles down to fine leg. They run for a leg-bye single. With that India have clinched the series comprehensively and it's the youngsters who have stepped up to do the needful job for India. India win by 6 wickets and with 26 balls to spare.

Nails a good yorker on off, Shivam Dube is rooted in the crease and smashes it towards mid off.

SCORES LEVEL! Bowls a full toss on the middle-leg line, Rinku Singh goes hard at it but gets the bottom half of his blade and hits it to mid-wicket and sprints for a single.

Over the wicket and fuller on off, Rinku Singh drives it straight to cover. He wants a single but Dube sends him back.

Will have to wait for another over to finish off! This is bowled on a shortish length across the stump, Rinku Singh goes hard to pull but miscues it to deep long on for a single. India just 2 away!

Yorker to follow on the middle stump, Shivam Dube works this one down to long on for a single. India just 3 runs away.

Bowls a slower one and shorter into the stump line, Shivam Dube swings hard and misses out on it. This might be the first one that he has missed out on.