Sanju Samson returned to form in style with an explosive 22-ball 57, featuring seven boundaries and four maximums, as India secured the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan with a game to spare. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Arshdeep Singh combined for five wickets to limit Afghanistan to 159 for 8. Samson then spearheaded the run chase with a blistering knock, while contributions from Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan helped India complete the target in just 14.5 overs, claiming a seven-wicket victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Abhishek set an aggressive tone at the start of the innings, hitting two fours off Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the opening over and dispatching Mohammad Nabi for a pair of sixes to race to 25 off 14 deliveries. Samson, initially on 8 off 10, soon accelerated by taking Azmatullah Omarzai for three fours and a six in a 20-run fifth over. The final over of the Powerplay yielded even heavier scoring against Nabi, with Abhishek hitting a six followed by a sequence of 6, 4, 4, and 6 from Samson, pushing India to 82 without loss after six overs.
Abhishek added a maximum off Rashid Khan before departing for 39 off 19 balls. In the same over, Samson reached his half-century in 20 deliveries, hit another six, and was then removed by Rashid, leaving India at 99 for 2 after seven overs. Ishan Kishan settled in quickly by hitting Noor Ahmad for a maximum, and despite a quiet phase against the wrist-spinners, India maintained control to reach 117 for 2 at the halfway mark. Shreyas Iyer contributed 5 runs before being caught by captain Ibrahim Zadran at slip off Rashid, who claimed his third wicket. India required 35 runs from nine overs and sealed the win with 5.1 overs left as Kishan struck boundaries against Mujeeb and Rashid.
Earlier in the match, India chose to field first, and Jasprit Bumrah opened with a maiden over to Zadran. Arshdeep struck early by removing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck with a short, slow delivery. Zadran responded with consecutive boundaries against Bumrah and Arshdeep, while Sediqullah Atal also found the fence against the left-arm seamer. Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi also conceded boundaries during the Powerplay, which ended with Afghanistan at 41 for 1.
Zadran and his partner put together a half-century partnership before Zadran fell for 37 off 33 balls, hitting a short delivery from Nitish to deep mid-wicket. Atal was caught at long-off to give Bishnoi his first wicket, and Nitish dismissed Gulbadin Naib via a leading edge, reducing Afghanistan to 67 for 4 in the 11th over. Darwish Rasooli and Omarzai launched a counter-attack with sixes against Shivam Dube and Axar. Axar eventually broke the stand by removing Omarzai, who had earlier been dropped by Bishnoi. Arshdeep returned to dismiss Rasooli, leaving the visitors struggling at 100 for 6 in the 15th over.
Mohammad Nabi sparked a late-innings recovery by hitting a four and a six off Bishnoi, while Rashid advanced down the pitch to drive Bumrah for a boundary. Rashid then targeted Arshdeep for two fours and a six in an 18th-over that conceded 16 runs. Nabi added a boundary before falling to Bumrah to end an entertaining 48-run partnership. Nitish claimed the wicket of Rashid, who scored 28 off 16 balls, in the final over, though Noor Ahmad hit a six off the last delivery to bring Afghanistan’s total to 159 for 8.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 159/8 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 37, Rashid Khan 28; Nitish Kumar Reddy 3-24, Arshdeep Singh 2-35) lost to India 163/3 in 14.5 overs (Sanju Samson 57, Abhishek Sharma 39, Ishan Kishan 38*; Rashid Khan 3-36) by 7 wickets. The report also notes that moving to 117 for 2 at the halfway stage, but the carnage in the Powerplay ensured India were in pole position. The report also notes that who went for 13 in his second over, sediqullah Atal also got a four off the left-arm seamer. The report also notes that brief scores: Afghanistan 159/8 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 37 off 33, Rashid Khan 28 off 16; Nitish Kumar Reddy 3-24, Arshdeep Singh 2-35) lost to India 163/3 in 14.5 overs (Sanju Samson 57 off 22, Abhishek Sharma 39 off 19, Ishan Kishan 38* off 23; Rashid Khan 3-36) by 7 wickets.
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