New Delhi, September 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India will look to seal the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan when the teams meet in the second match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday, while Ibrahim Zadran’s side will be under pressure to keep the contest alive.
India lead 1-0 after a dominant seven-wicket victory in the opening game. Another win would give them an unassailable 2-0 lead, leaving Afghanistan with only Thursday’s final T20I to avoid a series defeat.
The first match highlighted the contrasting starts by the two sides. Afghanistan slipped to 43/5 after losing four wickets during the powerplay before Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi added 83 runs to revive the innings. Omarzai remained unbeaten on 64 off 44 balls to take Afghanistan to 156/8.
India’s bowlers had earlier restricted Afghanistan effectively, with Arshdeep Singh returning figures of 3/19 and Jasprit Bumrah making an early breakthrough.
The target proved inadequate as Abhishek Sharma produced a stunning assault, smashing 82 off just 32 deliveries with seven sixes and seven fours. Ishan Kishan added 42 as India reached 157/3 in only 13.4 overs, leaving Afghanistan’s renowned spin attack with little time to influence the contest.
For Afghanistan, the priority will be to survive the powerplay. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck by Bumrah in the opening over of the series, and the early wickets left the middle order under significant pressure. Ibrahim Zadran, Gurbaz and the rest of the top order will need to provide a stronger foundation.
Omarzai’s counter-attacking innings offered encouragement, demonstrating that Afghanistan can unsettle India by taking the initiative rather than merely attempting to withstand the bowling attack. Nabi’s experience will also be important.
India’s main concern is likely to be selection rather than form. The team has several options at the top of the order, with Abhishek, Sanju Samson and teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi among the possibilities. India chose Abhishek and Samson for the opener, leaving Sooryavanshi out.
Abhishek’s match-winning 82 makes his place difficult to question, while Samson’s 10 leaves the competition for the remaining batting slots open. Kishan’s 42 has further strengthened India’s case for maintaining their batting depth.
The bowling attack also delivered a strong performance, with Bumrah striking early and Arshdeep providing the decisive breakthrough spells. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also claimed wickets as Afghanistan struggled to build sustained momentum.
Bumrah’s workload will be worth monitoring 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 brought into the squad as his replacement.
Afghanistan have plenty of match-winning options of their own, including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nangyal Kharoti. Naveen-ul-Haq’s return adds further variety to the pace attack, while Zadran is leading Afghanistan in his first series as their full-time T20I captain.
India have historically dominated this fixture, and their opening-match victory further extended their winning record against Afghanistan in T20Is. However, Afghanistan have an opportunity to respond in the second game and prevent India from wrapping up the series.
For India, the objective is straightforward: finish the job. Afghanistan, meanwhile, need a far stronger start, particularly during the first six overs, if they are to challenge the world champions.
Match details:
Date: Tuesday, September 15
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Television: Sony Sports Ten 3, 4 and 5 SD & HD
Live streaming: FanCode app and website
Squads
India: 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, Yash Thakur.
Afghanistan: 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, Naveen-ul-Haq.
FOLLOW NOW
