Shreyas Iyer invites Afghan captain into India's winning team photo
From record blitz to shared photo, India’s Friendship Cup win highlights respect
India had just completed a dominant 3-0 series sweep over Afghanistan, but Shreyas Iyer made sure the final picture was about more than the result.
After India won the third T20I by 127 runs in Delhi on Thursday, Iyer received the Friendship Cup following the post match presentation.
But before celebrating with his teammates, the India captain called Afghanistan skipper Ibrahim Zadran onto the podium.
Iyer invited Zadran to share the trophy with him before the two captains carried it towards the champions board. Zadran was then invited to stand alongside the Indian players for their winning team photograph.
It was a fitting way to end a series called the Friendship Cup, particularly after three matches in which India came out on top.
India made 221 for seven in the final T20I, powered by Abhishek Sharma's record breaking 108 from 34 balls and Sanju Samson's 50 from 35. Afghanistan were then bowled out for 94 in 14.1 overs as India completed the clean sweep.
India have done this before
And there was something familiar about Iyer's gesture.
Back in 2018, Afghanistan played their first ever Test match against India in Bengaluru.
India won the historic Test by an innings and 262 runs inside two days. But during the celebrations, stand in captain Ajinkya Rahane invited Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai and the entire Afghanistan squad to join India for the winners' photograph with the trophy.
More than eight years later, Iyer produced a similar moment.
India had won the Friendship Cup and all three matches, but when it was time for the final photograph, there was still room for the Afghanistan captain.
A small gesture, but a lovely way to end a series that was called the Friendship Cup
