India sealed the T20I series against Afghanistan with a dominant six-wicket win in the second match in Indore on Sunday. India now lead the three-match series 2-0.
All-rounder Shivam Dube played a crucial role in India’s triumph, earning praise from skipper Rohit Sharma for his impactful contributions.
The left-hander Dube played a pivotal knock in the successful chase. Dube revealed his batting role and shared insights into his approach after the match.
“The skipper is really happy with my performance, he told me well played. (On Jaiswal) We both are stroke players, we know our game. My role was to take on the spinners, but our plan was to both attack and finish the game early. There wasn’t any target in mind, but we should have finished the game earlier,” Dube said.
The all-rounder emphasized the mental aspects of T20 cricket, including handling pressure and choosing the right moments to attack. Dube also highlighted his continuous efforts to improve his bowling skills.
“There are many things that I have worked on, apart from skill it is about how mentally you prepare for the T20 game. How to handle pressure, and deciding which bowlers to take on. It isn’t important to hit every ball. I have been working on my bowling as well, happy that it worked out in the first game but not as much today. But that is how T20 cricket is,” Dube added.
“Dube is a big guy, very powerful and can take on the spinners. That is his role and he has come out and played two crucial innings for us,” captain Rohit praised the all-rounder.
Opener Yashashvi Jaiswal set the tone for India’s chase with an explosive innings of 68 off 34 balls, including six sixes. Dube, continuing his good form, contributed an unbeaten half-century, scoring 63 off 32 balls as India comfortably reached the target of 173 with 4.2 overs to spare.
Earlier in the match, Afghanistan posted a competitive total of 172, with Gulbadin Naib’s solid 57 providing a strong foundation.
Arshdeep Singh’s impressive final over, claiming three wickets, including two run-outs, restricted Afghanistan to an all-out in the last ball of the innings.
The third and final T20I between India and Afghanistan is set to take place on Wednesday in Bengaluru, providing another opportunity for both teams to showcase their skills in the series finale.