IND vs AFG Live Score, One-Off Test Match Day 3: Washington Sundar's triple-strike leaves Afghanistan reeling at 98/5 at tea

Welcome back for what could be the final session of the game.

... DAY 3, SESSION 3 ...

Final session beckons - This match is rapidly moving toward a Day 3 finish unless the Afghan batters value their wickets and drastically rectify their shot selection. The big question ahead of the final session is whether India can scalp the remaining 5 wickets to wrap up an innings victory on Day 3, or if Afghanistan can bat out of their skin to drag this contest into Day 4. Join us again as the final session of Day 3 resumes at 2.30 pm IST (9 am GMT).

Spin twins suffocate Afghanistan’s resistance - India’s spin department is yet again proving to be the undoing of the Afghan batting line-up, with Washington Sundar orchestrating the demolition this time. Sundar was the standout performer of the session, scalping three vital wickets, one of which was of Sediqullah Atal right at the stroke of Tea. Kuldeep Yadav has also provided the crucial breakthrough of Gurbaz. While the Afghan batters attempted to fight back with an aggressive, proactive approach, their high-risk strategy backfired heavily against India's world-class spin duo. 

India tighten their grip - The afternoon session of Day 3 saw India firmly cement their dominance, systematically breaking down Afghanistan's resistance after enforcing the follow-on. Though the Indian bowlers leaked a few boundaries to a counter-attacking approach, they successfully traded runs for wickets. By picking three crucial breakthroughs during the session, the hosts dismantled any hopes of a steady top-order partnership. India’s relentless pressure left the visitors completely exposed. 

TEA ON DAY 3 - As the players head in for Tea, Afghanistan find themselves in a precarious position at 98 for 5 after 29 overs, still trailing the hosts by 314 runs. In the grand context of this Test match, the visitors are fighting a desperate race against the inevitable, as the stark gulf in class between the two sides remains on full display. In Test cricket, wickets are the ultimate currency, and by spending them too quickly, Afghanistan have left themselves needing a sporting miracle.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, OUT! TAKEN! What have you done, Sediq? That will be the cry from the Afghan fans. Field up, and he could not resist himself on the last ball of the session. Tossed up by Sundar, not that full to hit through the line, on middle. Sediqullah Atal gives himself a bit of room and swings through the line to go down the ground with a straight bat. He fails to get to the pitch of the ball, and there is just enough away turn to catch the outer half of the blade. It balloons towards backward point, where Prasidh Krishna takes a dolly. Atal stands there in disbelief before starting to make the long walk back. Afghanistan are now 98/5, trailing by 314 runs in their second effort.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, A prolonged appeal for LBW! Nothing doing, says the umpire. Flatter and shorter, around off. Sediqullah Atal hops back to make the leave. Gets rapped on the pads but the ball is not darting in enough to hit the stumps.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Back to around the wicket, slower through the air, tossed up, on off. Sediqullah Atal lunges for the block.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Across the batter again, no turn. Atal is solid in defence.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, From over the wicket now, across off, on a length. Atal dead bats it.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Sliding on, very full, on middle. Sediqullah Atal squeezes it out.

Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Drifting in, on middle and leg. Zazai pushes it back to the bowler.

Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, A bit slower and on a good length, on middle. This is solidly defended by Afsar.

Manav Suthar to Afsar Zazai, Goes past the bat! At 88.1 kph, full and on the off pole. Afsar Zazai gets on the front foot but the ball lands and rips past the outside edge.

Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Full and quick, on off, Atal brings out the reverse and plays it down to deep backward point. They cross.

Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Tosses it up now, fuller and on off. Sediqullah Atal reaches out to smother the spin.

Manav Suthar replaces Kuldeep Yadav. 

Manav Suthar to Sediqullah Atal, Short and on middle from over the wicket. Atal taps it to the left of the bowler from the crease.

Washington Sundar to Afsar Zazai, Pushed through, very full, on off. Afsar Zazai digs it out.

Washington Sundar to Afsar Zazai, A confident shout for LBW, but turned down. Washington Sundar is pretty convinced, and he runs up to the skipper to plead his case. Shubman Gill also has a word with Rishabh Pant before sending this upstairs. Spinning back in and the length is pulled back a bit, on a length, on off. Zazai gets a good stride in for the block but fails to smother the spin. It turns back to go past the inside edge and hits the batter on the back thigh. No bat involved, but the Ball Tracking has the ball bouncing over the stumps. India have now only one review left.

Washington Sundar to Afsar Zazai, FOUR! Afsar Zazai is up and running. Tossed up, on off, Zazai shimmies downs the track and lofts it to the right of mid off for a boundary to get going.

Is that a fair take? Shubman Gill is sure about that, but the batter is still not moving as he is a bit susceptible to it. The replay shows that it will be touch and go. After several replays, the TV umpire confirms that this was a fair catch. 

Washington Sundar to Hashmatullah Shahidi, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! A good, low grab by the Indian skipper to send his Afghan counterpart back in the hut. From around the wicket, flat and short, around the off stump. Hashmatullah Shahidi has a poke at the ball from the crease. The ball spins away a bit to catch the outside edge. It dies on Shubman Gill at first slip, who manages to get low quickly and gets his hands out in front to take the catch. The third umpire is summoned for a check. The replays confirm that the catch has been taken cleanly with Gill ensuring that he got his hands under the ball. Afghanistan are 4 down for 93 in their second effort, trailing by 319 runs.

Washington Sundar to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Fuller and angled in, on middle. Hashmatullah Shahidi pushes it to the left of the bowler.

Washington Sundar to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Short and on middle. Hashmatullah Shahidi hurriedly drops his ba down on the ball.

Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Fine stop! Fuller and on off, Hashmatullah Shahidi drives it wide of cover. Nitish Kumar Reddy dives to his right and makes the stop.

Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, What has happened here? Shubman Gill has gone for the review with a second left on the timer. A couple of things to be looked at here. The two umpires get together to ask the Indians what the review is for because the ball had got stuck somewhere in the body before the silly point fielder went up to the batter to grab hold of the ball. Kuldeep drops it short, it is the googly that spins back in sharply, on off. Hashmatullah Shahidi lets it go, expecting the ball to turn away from him. It turns back a long way to catch Shahidi on the forearm. The Ball Tracking shows that the ball would have gone over the stumps. India lose their 1st review.

Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Very full, on off. Hashmatullah Shahidi squeezes it out to the right of the bowler.

Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Beaten! Looped up, full and outside off. Hashmatullah goes hard on the drive but is beaten by the turn.

Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Drags the length back now, on middle. Shahidi pushes at the ball with slightly hard hands. It drops away from the silly point fielder to his left.

Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, FOUR! Hashmatullah Shahidi is off the mark. Flighted up in line with the off stump. Shahidi gets down on a knee and rolls his wrists over the ball to sweep it through square leg for a boundary.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Stays on the shorter side, over off. Atal jabs it to mid-wicket.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Shorter and on off. Sediqullah Atal hangs back to keep it out.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, At the sticks, on a length, that is defended solidly off the front foot.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Oh, risky option taken by Atal. Darted in full by Sundar, on off and middle. Sediqullah steps inside the line for the fine sweep. He takes it on the full and plays it to short fine leg.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, Pushed through quicker, on off. Atal blocks it off.

Washington Sundar to Sediqullah Atal, An absolute beauty! Drifting in from around the wicket, landing on a length, on off. Sediqullah Atal presses forward but the ball lands and straightens to go past the outside edge with a bit of extra bounce.

Kuldeep Yadav to Hashmatullah Shahidi, Floated up there, on middle. Hashmatullah Shahidi smothers the spin by getting forward.

Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Fuller and attacking the front pad. Atal lunges for the block. The ball goes away off the inside edge, past short leg for a single.

Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Half a shout for caught behind but turned down. The appeal dies down quickly. Googly from Kuldeep, shorter and turning down leg. Atal misses out on the tickle and it is gathered well by Rishabh Pant by moving to his right.

Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Spins away again, on a nagging length. Sediqullah lets it be.

Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Turning away, on a good length, Sediqullah Atal makes the leave.

Kuldeep Yadav to Sediqullah Atal, Around the pads, full in length. Sediqullah Atal tucks it on the leg side.

The skipper of Afghanistan, Hashmatullah Shahidi walks out next in the middle. 

Before the start of the over, the on-field umpire issued an official warning to India's stand-in captain, KL Rahul, due to the team's failure to begin the over within the mandatory time limit. Rahul is acting as the stand-in skipper as Gill is off the field at the moment.

Washington Sundar to Rahmat Shah, OUT! CAUGHT! Rahmat Shah holes out and India have a big wicket. Sundar offers flight, full and on off. Rahmat Shah dances down the track, looking to go down the ground. Manav Suthar at mid off is three-quarters of the way in off the ropes. Shah ends up getting too close to the pitch of the ball, and it comes off the toe end of the blade. It goes flat to mid off, where Suthar takes the catch to his left. Afghanistan are now 3 down for 87 while following on, and the deficit is 325 runs.

Washington Sundar to Rahmat Shah, Around off, on a good length, Shah guides it to point.

Washington Sundar to Rahmat Shah, Slightly short, on off. Rahmat presses back but is early into the cut. Chops it down to point.

Washington Sundar to Rahmat Shah, Shorter and on off. Rahmat rocks back and cuts it through cover-point for a couple of runs.