Latest update March 13th, 2026 12:35 AM
Springer guides Windies to consolidation 15-run win, as Afghans seal series 2-1
2026 West Indies vs. Afghanistan T20I Series Match 3
Kaieteur Sports – West Indies avoided a 3-0 series defeat thanks to Shamar Springer’s all-round effort backed by runs from skipper Brandon King and others, who inspired a 15-run win yesterday; in the third and final match.
Windies lost both opening games, thus giving Afghanistan the series but managed to walk away with some pride intact, due to some good all-round cricket.
Requiring 152 for victory and a 3-0 whitewash of the series, Afghanistan had kept the a lid on the Windies scoring by restricting them 151-7 20 off overs.
Windies opener King led a much better batting performance with 47 off 35 (2×4 3×6), as Johnson Charles (17), Justin Greaves (12), Shimron Hetmyer (13) and Keacy Carty (10) chipped in with useful runs.
Brandon King chops one away. (ACB)
All-rounders Matthew Forde who played a cameo 11-ball 27 (2×4 2×6) and Man-of-the-match Springer who hit 3 fours in his 16*off 9 balls, pushed their team to a respectable score.
Afghan seamer Ziaur Rahman (2-45) was the most expensive bowler, while spin ace Rashid Khan (2-13) completed another brilliant performance; alongside Abdollah Ahmadzai (2-30).
Afghanistan then blew a near perfect 94-1 start, only to finish on 136-7 in their overs, failing to get close to the 180-plus scores which they posted in the first two games.
After a pair of failures, opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz finally came to the party with a brisk 71.
Gurbaz muscled 8 fours and a six off 58 balls, adding 72 for the first wicket with Ibrahim Zadran who struck four fours in his 28.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz led Afghanistan’s batting with a classy knock. (ESPNcricinfo)
But after the partnership ended thanks to Springer who would skip through the batting order to claim 4-20 along with a few catches; which put an immediate stop to what seemed to be an easy chase.
The medium-pacer Springer, with help from left-arm seamer Ramon Simmonds (1-26), Forde (1-28) and spinner Khary Pierre (1-29), did a fantastic job in keeping all but two batsmen to single-digit scores.
Fast-bowler Shamar Springer played a cameo and bagged 4 wickets to star in the West Indies win. (ESPNcricinfo)
Windies will have to do a lot of tinkering with the squad, especially with a few players soon to be free from the SA20 and a couple afforded rest ahead of the next month’s start to the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Prior to the Cup, the Windies will heighten preparations as they prepare to face a more dangerous South Africa team in a T20 series, which will be the last chance to assess where the squad should be ahead of the World Cup.
Scores: West Indies 151 for 7 (King 47, Forde 27, Rashid 2-13, Ahmadzai 2-30) beat Afghanistan 136 for 8 (Gurbaz 71, Springer 4-20) by 15 runs. (Clifton Ross)
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