Spearheaded by Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 32-ball 82, Shreyas Iyer’s India stormed to a 1-0 series advantage on Sunday, cruising past Afghanistan with a commanding seven-wicket victory. The left-handed opener unleashed an onslaught featuring seven fours and seven maximums, ensuring the Men in Blue made quick work of a 157-run target by wrapping up the chase in a mere 13.4 overs.
India annihilate Afghanistan by 7 wickets
Sharma anchored a decisive 121-run partnership for the second wicket alongside Ishan Kishan, who chipped in with a steady 42 off 33 deliveries following the early exit of Sanju Samson for 10. Once the foundation was laid, skipper Shreyas Iyer (8*) and Tilak Varma (3*) calmly put the finishing touches on the comprehensive chase.
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Arshdeep Singh breaks Afghanistan's back
While Jasprit Bumrah made an impactful return with sharp pace, Arshdeep Singh emerged as the standout performer for India after skipper Shreyas Iyer opted to bowl. The Indian attack made early inroads, capped off by spin pair Varun Chakravarthy (1/16) and Axar Patel (1/27) clamping down on the scoring during the opening ten overs. However, a spirited 83-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Azmatullah Omarzai (64* off 44) and Mohammed Nabi (33 off 27) eventually lifted Afghanistan past the 150-run mark.
Bumrah (1/26) looked in full rhythm, generating 16 dot balls and striking early to dismiss Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck when a rising delivery induced an edge, smartly taken by Abhishek Sharma at first slip. Operating from the other end, Arshdeep effectively mixed his pace and lengths to keep the Afghan top order guessing. Following a disastrous mix-up that cost Ibrahim Zadran (13) his wicket, Arshdeep forced Sediqullah Atal (11) into a miscue off a wide yorker, which drifted straight into Bumrah’s hands at fly slip.
The middle order crumbled rapidly under relentless pressure from the Indian spinners. Gulbadin Naib (2) mistimed an ambitious lofted stroke off Axar into Nitish Kumar Reddy's hands, before Chakravarthy’s precise stump-line attack breached Darwish Rasooli’s (2) defense, leaving Afghanistan reeling at 43 for 5 inside seven overs. Omarzai then mounted a brave recovery, targeting Nitish as the preferred scoring option to rebuild the innings.
Arshdeep broke the threatening sixth-wicket stand in his second spell, responding to a six from Nabi by shattering his stumps. Nabi’s departure triggered another swift slide, with skipper Rashid Khan (1 off 10) struggling to find rhythm against Bumrah and Arshdeep at the death before holing out. Despite the late collapse, Omarzai ensured a strong finish for the designated hosts, taking Shivam Dube for a pair of sixes in a 21-run final over to drag his side to a competitive total.
Abhishek Sharma runs riot with 32-ball 82
The target proved completely non-threatening for India as Abhishek Sharma put on a hitting clinic, clearing the ropes seven times during a breathtaking 32-ball blitz. His explosive display ensured the Men in Blue motored to victory in just 13.4 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match affair while delighting the weekend crowd at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. The left-hander put to rest any lingering concerns over a six-game patch without reaching 20 runs, bringing up his 12th T20I half-century in a lightning-fast 22 balls on a flat, friendly batting track.
After Sanju Samson was sent packing early for 10, Abhishek joined forces with a fluent Kishan to forge a game-changing 121-run stand for the second wicket. The demolition started early, with Abhishek driving Fazalhaq Farooqi over covers for six before launching Azmatullah Omarzai over long-off. He continued his assault by pulling Farooqi over mid-wicket, leaving the Afghan pace attack completely depleted of answers. Kishan fed off that momentum at the other end, building his own rhythm with a sharp hook shot off Farooqi for six as the run chase gathered speed.
When Afghanistan turned to spin, Abhishek showed no mercy, repeatedly punishing Noor Ahmad for missing his length. Alongside his seven towering sixes, the opener peppered the outfield with seven boundaries, thoroughly dismantling the opposition attack. By the time he was finally dismissed, the hard work was entirely completed, leaving India requiring a mere 17 runs to seal the contest.