India Eye Series Win as Afghanistan Seek Fightback in Second T20I
New Delhi — India will look to clinch the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan when the teams meet in the second game at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.
India hold a 1-0 lead after winning the opening match by seven wickets, while Afghanistan face a must-win contest to keep the series alive.
Afghanistan struggled badly at the start of the first T20I, losing four wickets inside the powerplay and slipping to 43/5. Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi led the recovery with an 83-run partnership, with Omarzai finishing unbeaten on 64 from 44 balls as Afghanistan reached 156/8.
Arshdeep Singh led India’s bowling attack with figures of 3/19.
India then made light work of the chase as Abhishek Sharma smashed 82 from just 32 balls, hitting seven sixes and seven fours. Ishan Kishan added 42 as India reached 157/3 in only 13.4 overs.
Afghanistan will need a much stronger performance from their top order in the second game. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck by Jasprit Bumrah in the opening over, while India’s bowlers kept pressure on the visitors throughout the powerplay.
Captain Ibrahim Zadran and Gurbaz will be expected to provide a more stable start, while Omarzai and Nabi remain key figures in the middle order.
Afghanistan also possess a formidable group of spin bowlers, including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nangyal Kharoti. Naveen-ul-Haq offers another option in the pace attack.
India, meanwhile, face several selection decisions after their dominant opening victory. Abhishek’s performance strengthened his position at the top of the order, while Sanju Samson made 10. Teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was left out of the first match.
Kishan’s 42 also highlighted India’s batting depth, with Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy among the other options.
India’s bowling attack also impressed in the opener. Bumrah struck early on his return, while Arshdeep claimed three wickets. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also contributed with wickets.
Bumrah’s workload could be monitored with India also preparing for the Asian Games. Harshit Rana is unavailable after suffering a rectus femoris strain during a training simulation, with Yash Thakur replacing him in the squad.
For Afghanistan, the biggest challenge will be preventing India from taking control during the opening six overs. A stronger start could give their experienced bowling attack a better opportunity to influence the contest.
When: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m. IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Where to watch: Sony Sports Ten 3, 4 and 5 SD and HD channels. Live streaming will be available on the FanCode app and website.
India squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma (vc), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur.
Afghanistan squad: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Noor Rahman (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Naveen-ul-Haq.
