Asia Cup 2018: Super Four, Match 5, India vs Afghanistan – Statistical Highlights

India and Afghanistan played out a thrilling draw in their last Super Four game at the Asia Cup. Batting first, Afghanistan rode on a brilliant century from Mohammad Shahzad to post 252 for 8.

In reply, India were off to a solid start with Rahul (60) and Ambati Rayudu (57) adding 110 runs for the first wicket. Dinesh Karthik scored 44 from No.3 as India looked set to chase down the total with ease. However, India kept on losing wickets at regular intervals from thereon and were bowled out for 252 off the penultimate ball of the game.

Needing just seven runs off the final over, the Indian team scored six runs off the first four balls to level the score. But on the fifth ball, Rashid Khan got the better of Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

With the game now done and dusted, we take a look at all the major stats and numbers:

1. This was the first tied game in the history of Asia Cup.  This is also the first time that Afghanistan were involved in a Tied game in the ODI format.

2. The game was MS Dhoni’s 200th as ODI captain.  He became only the third player to lead a side in 200 ODIs. Ricky Ponting led Australia in 230 ODIs from 2002-2012 while New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming led in 218 ODIs from 1997-2007.

3. Dhoni has now been involved in five different Tied ODI matches; the joint-most by an Indian alongside Sachin Tendulkar. He played all those five matches as captain. No other captain has been part of more than three Tied ODIs.

4. Deepak Chahar’s economy rate of 9.25 is the 4th worst and the second worst by an Indian on ODI debut while opening the bowling. (Min: 20 balls bowled. The right-arm pacer conceded 37 runs in his four overs and took a wicket. Lakshmipathy Balaji holds this dubious record. The former India pacer gave away 44 runs in four overs at an economy of 11.

5. Mujeeb Ur Rahman went wicketless for the first time in an ODI in the UAE. He had claimed 26 wickets in 12 ODIs in the UAE prior to this match.

6.  At the age of 37 years and 80 days, MS Dhoni became the oldest player to lead India in an ODI game. The previous oldest ODI captain for India was Mohammad Azharuddin. He led India against New Zealand at the age of 36 years and 124 days.

7. The 110-run stand between KL Rahul and Ambati Rayudu is the 100th century opening stand for India in ODIs.

8. Shahzad’s century is the first by an Afghanistan player against top nine ranked nations in ODI cricket.

9. Afghanistan were 131 when Shahzad reached his hundred. This is the joint lowest known team score when a batsman reached his 100 in an ODI game. Pakistan’s total was 131 when Shahid Afridi made a quick-fire century also against India in the 2005 Kanpur ODI.