Springer's hat-trick leads West Indies to 15-run win over Afghanistan in 3rd T20I 

West Indies 151 for 7 (King 47, Forde 27, Rashid 2-13) beat Afghanistan 136 for 8 (Gurbaz 71, Zadran, Springer 4-20) by 15 runs 

The West Indies defeated Afghanistan by 15 runs in the final T20I at the Dubai International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates on Thursday. Vital runs from the lower-order got the Caribbean side to a tricky total on a slow wicket, which proved enough to avoid a series sweep. 

The struggle for West Indies’ top-order persisted, with Johnson Charles (17), along with Kacy Carty (10) and Justin Greaves (12), facing 51 balls for their combined 39. Stand-in captain Brandon King, on the other hand, was able to find his timing, top-scoring with 47 from 35 balls. Shimron Hetmyer also scored his 13 quickly, but his cameo was ended after six balls. 

Both were dismissed by Rashid Khan (2/13) four deliveries apart, to leave the West Indies 103 for 5 in the 16th over. The lower-order still managed to add 48 runs from the final 25 deliveries of the innings. Matthew Forde hit two sixes and two fours in his 11-ball 27, with Shamar Springer contributing 16 from 9 to lift the West Indies to 151 for 7 from their 20 overs. 

The Afghanistan innings lacked the fluidity from the first two games, with openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran finding it difficult to adapt to the pace of the pitch. The pair would, however, share in a 61-ball 72-run partnership for the first wicket before Zadran fell to Forde for 28 in the 11th over. 

Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal then put on 22 from 24 for the next wicket before the latter was caught behind off Shamar Springer for seven, with Afghanistan 94 for 2 in the 15th. The West Indies continued to make inroads to keep themselves in the contest, leaving Afghanistan needing 25 from the last 12. 

With Gurbaz (71) still at the crease, the host would have fancied their chances. In ran Shamar Springer, and around on the square leg boundary ran Matthew Forde. meeting Gurbaz’s on-the-knee swipe with safe hands, first claiming the ball, then tossing it in the air as his momentum propelled him outside the boundary rope, then reclaiming the ball a second time when he was safely inside the rope once more. Game on.

Springer had Rashid caught at deep backward point the next ball before yorking Shahidullah to complete his hat-trick and turn the tide firmly in the West Indies’ favour. 

Heading into the final over, Afghanistan needed 20 runs for victory with three wickets remaining. Ramon Simmonds ran in and nailed his fuller variations, conceding just 4 runs to restrict Afghanistan to 136 for 8.