The Indian team defeated Afghanistan in the third and final T20 series match, winning by a margin of 127 runs. This victory allowed India to clinch the T20 series with a score of 3-0. The match took place on September 17th at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Abhishek Sharma was the hero of the victory, scoring 108 runs off 34 balls, hitting 11 sixes and 9 fours. His powerful performance led to the breaking of several records, but a moment occurred after the match that made this victory special.
India's captain, Shreyas Iyer, demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship by inviting Afghanistan's captain, Ibrahima Jadaran, to participate in the trophy presentation ceremony. Iyer called Jadaran onto the stage so he could join the celebration of the Indian team. Afterward, Jadaran was seen in a joint photograph with the Indian players and support staff.
Although it was a series win for India, Shreyas Iyer showed respect to the opponent. This moment clearly demonstrates the respect and friendliness between players after the completion of an intense competition. Great batsman Sunil Gavaskar highly praised Iyer's gesture, calling his inclusion of the rival captain in the photo magnificent. Gavaskar noted that such moments are what remain in memory for many years.
Shreyas Iyer's action reminded one of an old Indian cricket event. In June 2018, Afghanistan played its first Test match against India in Bangalore. This match held historical significance for Afghanistan as they were playing their first Test after becoming the 12th full member of the ICC. India won that match by an innings and 262 runs.
After that match, captain Ajinkya Rahane invited Afghan captain Asghar Afghan and his team for a joint photo with the Indian players. Approximately eight years later, Iyer repeated something similar with Jadaran. In both cases, the result was in favor of India, but there was a tradition of respect for the opposing team after a victory.
Earlier, Abhishek Sharma dealt a serious blow to the bowling efforts of the Afghan players. He completed his century in just 30 balls, becoming the fastest batter in T20 International for India. He surpassed Rohit Sharma's record, who reached a century in 35 balls. Sanju Samson also bolstered the team's score, scoring a half-century in the second consecutive match. Thanks to Abhishek's explosive play, India scored 221 runs, winning while losing 7 wickets.
The Afghanistan team, which was chasing the target, faced pressure from the beginning. Axar Patel dismissed Rehmanullah Gurbaz and Sedikul Attal in the powerplay. Then Jasprit Bumrah created trouble with a perfect yorker. Yash Thakur increased the difficulties for Afghanistan, taking the wicket of Ibrahima Jadaran in the sixth over. Nitish Kumar Reddy also closed the door to the team's comeback, taking three wickets. Ultimately, the entire Afghanistan team was dismissed in 14.1 overs, scoring only 94 runs, and India won the match by a margin of 127 runs.