January 23, 2026
For most of the night, the game drifted Afghanistan’s way. The chase stayed calm, and the run rate also stayed decent. Then Shamar Springer walked in with the ball and altered the mood entirely.
Operating in the second last over, Springer played with pace like a switchboard. Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell first, mistiming a pull that never cleared the ring. Rashid Khan followed, rushed and deceived, while Shahidullah was next, undone by a yorker that skidded in low.
That sequence completed the Shamar Springer hat-trick, a burst that drained confidence from the Afghan dressing room and pulled West Indies back from the edge.
Gurbaz anchored the chase with patience, absorbing pressure before opening his shoulders. Ibrahim Zadran added support, keeping the required rate steady without risk.
Even after a couple of wickets, the numbers stayed manageable, as twenty-five were needed off twelve balls. Springer’s over flipped the script, leaving too much for the final stretch despite a boundary off the last ball.
West Indies crawled through the opening overs, searching for timing. Johnson Charles battled without fluency, while Nicholas Pooran tried to inject momentum but found Rashid Khan waiting.
Matthew Forde swung freely at the death, lifting the total past 150. At the time, it felt modest. Later, it proved just enough in this West Indies vs Afghanistan T20I contest.
Springer’s contribution with the bat faded into the background once the wickets arrived.
The win levels the emotional ground ahead of upcoming tours and selection calls. Springer now joins elite company in maroon colors with a T20I hat-trick, strengthening his case at the right time.
For Afghanistan, the loss stings, but they still managed to win the series by 2-1. With this victory, the balance in this West Indies vs Afghanistan T20I rivalry looks far less predictable.