Thu Jan 22 ’26 by KRISSANIA YOUNG
West Indies 151 for 7 (King 47, Forde 27, Rashid 2-13) beating Afghanistan 136 for 8 (Gurbaz 71, Zadran, Springer 4-20) with 15 runs
West Indies defeated Afghanistan by 15 runs in the final T20I at the Dubai International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. Vital runs from the lower order took the Caribbean side to a tricky total on a slow wicket, which proved enough to prevent a series sweep.
The battle for the West Indies top order continued with Johnson Charles (17), along with Kacy Carty (10) and Justin Greaves (12), facing 51 balls to their combined 39. Stand-in captain Brandon King, on the other hand, was able to find his timing and top-scored with 47 off 35 balls. Shimron Hetmyer also scored his 13 quickly, but his cameo was ended after six balls.
Both were dismissed by Rashid Khan (2/13) four deliveries apart, leaving the West Indies 103 for 5 in the 16th over. The lower order still managed to add 48 runs from the last 25 deliveries of the innings. Matthew Forde hit two sixes and two fours in his 11-ball 27, with Shamar Springer contributing 16 off 9 to take West Indies to 151 for 7 from their 20 overs.
The Afghan innings lacked the fluidity of the first two matches, with openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran finding it difficult to adapt to the pace of the pitch. However, the pair would share in a 61-ball, 72-run partnership for the first wicket before Zadran fell for 28 to Forde in the 11th over.
Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal then put on 22 off 24 for the next wicket before the latter fell behind to Shamar Springer for seven, with Afghanistan 94 for 2 in the 15th. West Indies continued to make progress to keep themselves in contention, leaving Afghanistan needing 25 from the last 12.
With Gurbaz (71) still in the crease, the hosts would have liked their chances. Shamar Springer came in, and around the square leg boundary was Matthew Forde. Meeting Gurbaz’s blow on the knee with safe hands, first claiming the ball, then tossing it into the air as his momentum drove him outside the boundary rope, then reclaiming the ball a second time when he was safely back in the rope. Game on.
Springer had Rashid catch the next ball at deep backward point before setting up Shahidullah to complete his hat-trick and turn the tide firmly in West Indies’ favour.
Heading into the final, Afghanistan needed twenty runs for victory, with three wickets to spare. Ramon Simmonds came in and nailed his fuller variations, conceding just four runs to restrict Afghanistan to 136 for 8.
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