DUBAI – In a thrilling turnaround, West Indies salvaged pride in their T20 series against Afghanistan with a hard-fought 15-run victory in the decisive third match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Shamar Springer stole the show, claiming a sensational hat-trick to dismantle the Afghan chase and restrict them to 136 for 8 while chasing 152.
West Indies, put in to bat after losing the toss, posted 151 for 7 in their 20 overs. Captain Brandon King anchored the innings with a gritty 47 off 35 balls, featuring three sixes and two fours. He shared a brisk 27-run stand with Johnson Charles, who scored 17 before falling. Matthew Forde provided the late fireworks, smashing 27 off just 11 deliveries with two sixes and two fours, while Springer remained unbeaten on 16.
Afghanistan’s bowlers struck back effectively. Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan, and Azmatullah Omarzai each grabbed two wickets, keeping the Windies total within reach.
Chasing 152, Afghanistan exploded out of the blocks with openers Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz piling on 72 runs in 10.1 overs. Gurbaz’s masterful 71 off 58 balls, laced with eight fours and a six, promised a comfortable chase. Zadran contributed 28 off 27. But the middle order crumbled spectacularly, with eight batsmen failing to reach double figures.
Enter Shamar Springer. The pace sensation returned figures of 4 for 20, including a match-defining hat-trick in the 19th over, dismissing Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, and Shahidullah in consecutive deliveries. Forde, Khary Pierre, and Ramon Simmonds chipped in with one wicket each, ensuring West Indies’ bowlers wrapped up a morale-boosting win despite losing the series 2-1.
Afghanistan had dominated earlier, winning the opener by 38 runs and the second by 39 runs. This victory offers West Indies a silver lining as they reflect on a series of mixed fortunes.
