Dubai: Shamar Springer hit a sensational last-over hat-trick to help struggling West Indies deny Afghanistan a T20I series sweep at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium here on Thursday.
Shamar Joseph was replaced by Springer, who replaced Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan and Shahidullah with clever variations of pace and length, making a strong case for a place in the T20 World Cup squad.
Springer’s brilliant 19th over, conceding just five runs, was saved by Ramon Simmonds with 19 in the final over. He ensured success with left-arm quick yorkers and low full tosses that were difficult to hit.
West Indies looked set for a tough chase after Gurbaz and Ibrahim Sadran added 59 runs in 7 overs as they chased 152 runs.
Afghanistan remained in control for most of the innings led by Gurbaz’s half-century until Springer’s intervention changed the momentum.
With his hat-trick, the springer became the third West Indian player to achieve the feat in men’s T20Is after Jason Holder and Romario Shepard, surpassing Rashid Khan, who had earlier bowled his signature chest roll and an elegant spell of 4-0-13-2.
Batting first, West Indies managed to score only 27 runs in the first 4 overs. Johnson boosted the line-up in the absence of Charles, Alik Athanas and Evin Lewis – who missed the game due to a neck injury – and struggled to score 17 off Shahidullah’s bowling.
Stand-in captain Nicholas King hit Shahidullah and Mujeeb ur Rahman for sixes in the powerplay but struggled against Rashid Khan, who dismissed King for 47 off 35 balls in the 15th over.
Rashid rounded Shimron Hetmyer on his legs for 13 off six balls. He is 6 wickets away from reaching 700 T20I wickets.
Matthew Ford and Springer put on 40 runs in the last three overs.
Forte hit Zaur Rahman Sharifi for two sixes in his 11-ball 27, while Springer targeted Abdullah Ahmadzai for two fours in the 19th over, foreshadowing his decisive impact on Afghanistan’s bowling.
Afghanistan’s chase got off to a slow start as Gurbaz managed just 17 runs off 19 balls in the powerplay. He hit three boundaries off Justin Greaves in the seventh over.
After Forte dismissed Ibrahim Sadran for 28 off 27 balls, Gurbaz reached his half-century off 44 balls, leveling Afghanistan’s tally on 58 off 36 balls with nine wickets in hand.
Springer ignited West Indies’ comeback and was dismissed for 7 off 11 balls by Sethichulla Atal. Then Darvish Rasooli was caught lbw by Kari Pierre for 4 runs off six balls.
Gurbaz briefly leveled the innings with successive fours off Bear’s ball, but things got tight with Afghanistan needing 25 off 12 balls.
Springer struck decisively: he first caught Gurbaz at midwicket for 71 off 58 balls, followed by Rashid Khan, caught at deep third.
Mujeeb Rahman hit a boundary off the last ball but he yorked Shahidullah without much of a chance to give Afghanistan a chance to chase and complete a hat-trick.
This will be Afghanistan’s last T20I before they travel to India for the T20 World Cup, while the West Indies travel to South Africa for a three-match T20I series before coming to Kolkata, the scene of their 2016 T20 World Cup triumph.