Jaiswal, Rohit shine in India’s win over Afghansitan
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma activated their free-flowing mode while making an unbeaten 110 and 79, respectively, backing up Prasidh Krishna’s career-best 5 for 23 as India flayed Afghanistan by nine wickets in the third and final ODI here on Saturday. The victory helped India sweep the three-match ODI series 3-0.
The target of 219 was never really going to test the Indians, and they completed the chase in a mere 28.4 overs, leaving a valiant 102 by Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi as a mere footnote. India finished with 224 for one, laced by Jaiswal’s second ODI hundred.
Realistically, neither Rohit nor Jaiswal, who could not have timed his second ODI hundred no better, have nothing to prove but their immediate situation made it mandatory for them to make this outing count. Rohit needed a substantial innings to keep the swelling competition for his place at bay for the time being, and Jaiswal needed a big score to keep himself in contention for India’s thickly populated top-order. They merged their personal goals in a stunning exhibition of one-day batting for the team’s cause on this night. Rohit was a tad slow to begin his innings, but soon discovered the kind of shots that earned him the sobriquet — Hitman.
The Mumbai batter took a liking for Afghanistan’s premier spinner Rashid Khan, clobbering him for flicked four and a swept six in succession.
The enviable timing of Rohit was on full view when he smashed Rashid inside out over the covers for a six, eliciting a wistful smile from the bowler.
Jaiswal, on the other hand, was at ease from ball one, careening pacer Azmatullah Omarzai for three boundaries, as a 9-ball first over produced 23 runs, including five penalty runs, which India acquired after Shahidi was found guilty of repeatedly running on the danger area.
There was a pulled six off pacer Fareed Ahmed and some velvety drives off spinner AM Ghazanfar as he reached his fifty in 38 balls, and his partner went past the milestone in 47 balls.
