A third successive T20I half-century from Darwish Rasooli, an anchoring fifty from Sediqullah Atal and a maiden T20I hat-trick from Mujeeb Ur Rahman helped Afghanistan take an unassailable 2-0 lead over West Indies in the three-match series.
Mujeeb grabbed four wickets in five deliveries spread across two different overs – and spells – to wreck West Indies’ pursuit of 190, and their downfall was swift thereafter.
They were eventually bowled out for 150.
Before Mujeeb’s 4 for 21, Rasooli and Atal enjoyed a 115-run third-wicket stand to hold Afghanistan’s batting innings together. A late cameo from Azmatullah Omarzai on a turning surface made the total even more daunting.
The win made it a hat-trick of T20I series wins for Afghanistan. The two teams meet again on Thursday for what will be Afghanistan’s final T20I before the T20 World Cup. West Indies will seek a consolation win before their tour of South Africa.
Mujeeb runs through West Indies
West Indies’ chase started poorly. They lost newly promoted opener Alick Athanaze to a direct hit in the third over, and they could score only 29 in the powerplay, squeezed by Fazalhaq Farooqi’s opening spell.
Mujeeb, who bowled two overs in the powerplay, then returned in the eighth and went around the wicket to skid one straight through and hit No. 3 Evin Lewis’ pad before he could bring out a shot.
When right-hander Johnson Charles walked in next, Mujeeb came over the stumps and got a delivery to drift in beautifully from outside off and through the gate to peg back off stump as the batter drove away from his body. West Indies were 38 for 3.
But they were not going down without a fight, and Shimron Hetmyer’s assault on Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad kept West Indies in the game.
Hetmyer pumped six sixes in a 17-ball 46. Farooqi, however, dismissed him in the 14th over, and Rashid brought Mujeeb back for his third, with West Indies needing 68 runs in five overs.
Mujeeb kept his length back, and with West Indies desperate for big shots, Brandon King (50) came down the track and miscued the hat-trick ball down to long on. Mujeeb wheeled away in celebration, having become the third Afghanistan bowler to achieve the feat after Rashid and Karim Janat.
Two balls later, T20I newbie Quentin Sampson failed to put bat on a googly, and Mujeeb had his fourth.
The lower order offered little resistance, as West Indies lost their last five wickets for 27 runs. (ESPNcricinfo)
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