London - Marlon Samuels conjured a majestic unbeaten 89 to propel West Indies to a seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the third and final Twenty20 International at Warner Park in St Kitts on Monday.
Chasing Afghanistan’s 146 for 6, Samuels’ highest-ever T20I knock powered the host to the target with four balls to spare, helping it complete a 3-0 series sweep. Samuels's innings, which came off 66 deliveries, contained three sixes and nine fours. He was named the Player of the Match, as well as the Player of the Series after scores of 35 and 22 in the first two matches.
Afghanistan, which now prepares to take on the home side in three One-Day Internationals in St Lucia starting on Friday, was left regretting letting Samuels off, an opening from which the experienced batsman kicked on to emerge as the match-winner. Mohammad Nabi had top-scored with 38 after Asghar Stanikzai opted to bat, but then dropped a hot caught-and-bowled chance offered by Samuels when on 40. Thereafter, his batting was flawless, and not even the late introduction of Rashid Khan, the leg-spinner expected to be the main bowling threat, made an impression on him.
Samuels was involved in half-century stands with Evin Lewis, the opener, and Jason Mohammed, whose unbeaten 23 in a fourth-wicket stand of 65 made sure there was no way back into the contest for Afghanistan. Nabi's innings and 35 from Noor Ali Zadran led Afghanistan’s batting against a home side that seemed slightly flat with the series already in the bag following convincing wins in the first two matches, also at the same venue.
Shafiqullah Shafaq, the wicketkeeper-batsman, chipped in with 25 to ensure West Indies was left with a challenging target.
Kesrick Williams was again the most successful bowler for West Indies, finishing with 3 for 34 to take his tally of wickets in the series to eight. The paceman, however, seemed discomfited by a back injury, particularly after he bowled Shafiqullah with the last ball of his four-over allotment.
Scoreboard
AFGHANISTAN:
Noor Ali Zadran b Williams 35
Javed Ahmadi lbw b Badree 0
Asghar Stanikzai c Williams b Powell 13
M Nabi c Powell b Williams 38
Karim Janat c Lewis b Taylor 8
Shafiqullah b Williams 25
Najibullah Zadran not out 10
Gulbadin Naib not out 7
EXTRAS: (lb 3, w 7) 10
TOTAL: (6 wickets; 20 overs) 146
FOW: 1-14, 2-45, 3-57, 4-96, 5-108, 6-138.
BOWLING: JE Taylor 4-0-33-1, S Badree 4-0-26-1, KOK Williams 4-0-34-3, CR Brathwaite 1-0-3-0, R Powell 3-0-20-1, SP Narine 4-0-27-0.
WEST INDIES:
C Walton c sub b Shapoor Zadran 0
E Lewis lbw b Mohammad Nabi 19
M Samuels not out 89
L Simmons c Najibullah b Rashid Khan 15
J Mohammed not out 23
EXTRAS: (w 1) 1
TOTAL: (3 wickets; 19.2 overs) 147
FOW: 1-0, 2-61, 3-82.
BOWLING: Shapoor Zadran 3.2-0-27-1, Mohammad Nabi 4-0-33-1, Amir Hamza 4-0-24-0, Karim Janat 4-0-41-0, Rashid Khan 4-0-22-1.
TOSS: Afghanistan
UMPIRES: LS Reifer and JS Wilson
TV UMPIRE: N Duguid
MATCH REFEREE: JJ Crowe (New Zealand)
RESERVE UMPIRE: GO Brathwaite