Indian head coach Rahul Dravid opened upon Afghanistan players picking up runs after the ball had hit the batters racing to the non-strikers’ end, causing some conflict between the players on both sides. In a tightly contested game, the Men in Blue outscored Afghanistan in the second super-over.
The final Twenty20 International between India and Afghanistan at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday was an unforgettable one, with moments of interest interspersed throughout the game that required two super over tiebreakers to decide the outcome, which had a few tense moments during the first super over.
Following the game, Team India’s head coach Rahul Dravid remarked that it was all part of the game till it crossed a line. He also drew a similarity to an instance in the first T20 in which India got a run from a similar circumstance, saying that as long as it did not cross a line, it was good.
“It is part of the game. It is fine, Sometimes you get frustrated that it happens, but its fair enough, all part of the game, It hit the non-striker and it moved. And I think that’s fine and you can run for those.”
“In the first T20, I think there was an incident where the ball hit the bat of one of our batsmen and we took a run as well. So I think there is nothing to read into it and I don’t think there is anything in the rules that stops you from actually taking those runs,” Rahul Dravid said.
The two Afghanistan batters were alert enough to grab two more runs as the ball drifted toward Virat Kohli, which irritated the Indian captain Rohit Sharma. He charged at Mohammad Nabi, questioning why he sprinted after the ball rebounded off his legs. Nabi appeared to underline that he had every right to run despite the deflection.
Arguments Can Happen At The End Of Tight Games – Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid believes that it is acceptable to have some tense moments in close games and that emotions arise when players play with so much passion. He also feels that it is normal for display emotion to emerge during close games because players representing their countries always want to put their best foot forward.
“Arguments can happen at the end of tight games. I think when you play for your country, there is so much passion and emotion and I think it is incredible that even in dead rubber games when it gets down to the wire, the competitiveness and passion come out.”
“As long as it doesn’t cross the line, and that’s why we have match referees to look at these things, Sometimes a little bit of that passion and emotion is really important. It shows how much the players care,” Rahul Dravid added.
Afghanistan’s cricket team earned the hearts of fans with their spirited fight against India in the third T20I on Wednesday in Bangalore. Team India narrowly won in a cliffhanger after two Super Overs to take the series 3-0 and the Men in Blue will next focus on their preparation for the five-match test series against England.