A hat-trick from emerging star Shamar Springer lit up Dubai as West Indies edged Afghanistan by 15 runs in the third T20I, salvaging series pride despite a 2-1 defeat.
Batting first after losing the toss, West Indies navigated a tricky pitch to compile 151/7. Captain Brendan King’s composed 47 off 35 balls (3×6, 2×4) steadied the ship after Johnson Charles’ 17. Matthew Forde’s rapid 27 from 11 balls (2×4, 2×6) and Springer’s 16* accelerated the scoring rate in the death overs.
Afghanistan’s attack was potent: Jofra Archer-lookalike Naveen-ul-Haq, leg-spin wizard Rashid Khan, and all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai bagged two scalps apiece, testing every Windies batter.
In reply, openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran threatened to take the game away, adding 72 in 10.1 overs. Gurbaz’s 71 (58 balls, 8×4, 1×6) was a power-packed knock, supported by Zadran’s 28 (27 balls, 4×4). But the innings imploded thereafter—eight wickets tumbled cheaply.
Springer scripted history with 4/20, his hat-trick in the 19th over (Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Shahidullah) sealing the deal. Support came from Forde, Pierre, and Simmonds (one each), as Afghanistan folded at 136/8.
Afghanistan’s series dominance—wins by 38 and 39 runs—remains intact, but West Indies’ resilience shines through in this high-stakes encounter.