Cricket fans were treated to an absolute rollercoaster at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium, where a riveting encounter between India and Afghanistan unfolded, leaving fans on the edge of their seats. The game, which witnessed a whopping 424 runs in just 40 overs, ultimately came down to the drama of not one but two Super Overs , a rare treat for cricket fans who only were fortunate to watch such a treat in an IPL game in Dubai comprising Mumbai Indians and Punjab Super Kings in 2020 .
In the final match of the 3 match series where Afghanistan showed its prowess on why it is considered as the fast growing nation in the cricket circuit equaling India’s 212 in the main 20 overs only to restrict India to their own score of 16 runs in the First Super over to take the match into the second super over where Captain Rohit Sharma, known for his strategic acumen, made a bold move by entrusting the ball to wrist-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
This decision proved to be a masterstroke as Ravi Bishnoi successfully defended the target of mere 12 runs thus making India win the hard fought match and their final International T20I series win before the T20I World cup this June , earning accolades from none other than the legendary now Indian coach Rahul Dravid.
I enjoyed bowling super over- Ravi Bishnoi
Young Indian wrist-spinner Ravi Bishnoi made a massive impact on the third T20I against Afghanistan as he defended a target of 12 in the second Super Over and helped his team finally get over the line.
After 212 runs were scored in each innings and even one Super Over couldn’t separate the sides, the game had to go deeper into the night with a second Super Over. With Mukesh Kumar not eligible to bowl again, the Indian team management had to take a call between Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan.
While both bowlers were seen warming up, giving Ravi Bishnoi the ball seemed to be a last-moment decision. Speaking to the host broadcaster after the game, Bishnoi spoke about how he got the opportunity to bowl. He said:
“It (heartbeat) was quite fast (laughs). I enjoyed it quite a lot as I have also taken the experience of a double Super Over before. Both Avesh and I were prepared to bowl the Super Over but I was asked to bowl since two right-handers came out to bat and the leg-side boundary was bigger,”
Bishnoi was a part of the Kings XI Punjab team that played a double Super Over against the Mumbai Indians during the IPL 2020 season.
Bowl stump to stump and bowl back of a length- Ravi Bishnoi on his plan in the Super Over
Ravi Bishnoi repaid the trust shown in him by conceding just one run and picking the wickets of Mohammad Nabi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Neither batter could get hold of the ball and were both caught by Rinku Singh at long off.
Here’s what Bishnoi stated about his plans for the two batters:
“The plan was to bowl stump to stump and bowl back of a length. I was fine with getting hit on the back foot as the batters will need to generate more power. Feels really good – there can’t be a better feeling than defending the Super Over and winning the game for the country,“
Bishnoi was expensive in the second innings, conceding 38 runs in his four overs without picking a wicket. However, he emphatically redeemed himself with brilliant bowling in the second Super Over. It also ensured that India continued their winning streak over Afghanistan in T20Is with the head-to-head being 6-0.
Ravi Bishnoi ecstatic through his experience in an epic match that will go down in the history books as the greatest ever T20I match played would be keen to perform in IPL 2024 season and impress the selectors for the ticket to the Caribbean Islands this June for the marquee event in T20I format.