LUCKNOW, India: Seventeen-year-old Rahmanullah Gurbaz hit 79 and 20-year-old Naveen-ul-Haq returned figures of 3-23 as Afghanistan eased to a 29-run win over West Indies to secure a 2-1 series victory on Sunday.
As he had in the previous game, Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan won the toss and chose to bat first. It was a decision he may have soon regretted as Hazratullah Zazai (0) and Karim Janat (2) were both dismissed by Sheldon Cottrell (2-29) leaving the hosts 12-2 after three overs.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, however, held firm and launched a one-man counter-attack. The partnership between the opener and Ibrahim Zadran was worth 32 when the latter was run out for a solitary run.
Rahmanullah continued unperturbed though, and reached fifty from 37 balls in the 11th over as he built a strong partnership with Asghar Afghan (24). But just as Asghar began to get going, he mistimed a hook shot and was caught in the ring by Brandon King from the bowling of Keemo Paul (2-26), the partnership worth 50 in 6.1 overs.
The assault from the teenaged opener continued unabated, supported by a run-a-ball 14 from Najibullah Zadran, until Kieron Pollard (1-21) finally had him caught for a 52-ball 79.
A pair of early wickets, one each for Mujeeb Ur Rahman (1-9 from three overs) and Naveen-ul-Haq (3-23), left the West Indies’ chase floundering at 16-2. When Karim Janat trapped Evin Lewis in front with the final ball of the eighth over, the visitors still needed 115 runs and their chances seemed to be disappearing further with every ball.
Afghanistan won toss
Afghanistan
Hazratullah Zazai c Lewis b Cottrell 0
†Rahmanullah Gurbaz c Paul b Pollard 79
Karim Janat c Hope b Cottrell 2
Ibrahim Zadran run out 1
Asghar Afghan c King b Paul 24
Najibullah Zadran c Pollard b Williams 14
Mohammad Nabi c Holder b Paul 15
*Rashid Khan c Cottrell b Williams 0
Gulbadin Naib not out 4
Naveen-ul-Haq not out 2
Extras (lb 4, w 11) 15
Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 156
Did not bat: Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Fall: 1-3, 2-12, 3-44, 4-94, 5-120, 6-142, 7-149, 8-151
Bowling: Cottrell 4-0-29-2; Holder 4-0-26-0; Williams 4-0-31-2; Pierre 3-0-19-0; Paul 3-0-26-2; Pollard 2-0-21-1
West Indies
L Simmons b Mujeeb 7
E Lewis lbw b Janat 24
B King b Naveen 1
†S Hope c Afghan b Naib 52
S Hetmyer c Afghan b Rashid 11
*K Pollard c Najibullah b Naveen 11
J Holder c Nabi b Naveen 6
K Paul not out 4
K Pierre not out 1
Extras (lb 4, w 5, nb 1) 10
Total (7 wickets; 20 overs) 127
Did not bat: K Williams, S Cottrell
Fall: 1-13, 2-16, 3-42, 4-80, 5-112, 6-118, 7-124
Bowling: Mujeeb 3-0-9-1; Naveen 4-0-24-3; Janat 4-0-33-1; Naib 4-0-26-1; Nabi 1-0-13-0; Rashid 4-0-18-1
Result: Afghanistan won by 29 runs
Man of the Match: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan)
Series: Afghanistan won three-match series 2-1
Man of the Series: Karim Janat (Afghanistan)
Umpires: Ahmed Shah Pakteen and Izatullah Safi (Afghanistan). TV umpire: Ahmed Shah Durrani (Afghanistan). Match referee: Chris Broad (England)