2nd T20I: Sanju Samson joins the party on another day of one-way traffic in Delhi

Results in brief: India (163 for 3 in 14.5 overs) beat Afghanistan (159 for 8 in 20 overs) by 7 wickets in Delhi on Tuesday. India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

13.4 overs to chase on Sunday. 14.5 overs for another drubbing a day later. India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan and handed the designated hosts another beating in the second match on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.

AFG vs IND 2nd T20I: Highlights | Scorecard

Delhi’s roads can turn into a free-for-all as soon as traffic comes to a screeching halt, and occasionally drivers choose to drive in the wrong direction. However, there was only one direction of traffic in the 22 yards at the Arun Jaitley Stadium with Afghanistan not daring to challenge the established order.

Tuesday’s crowd of 24,215 included a sizeable contingent of Afghan fans, but the determined hosts gave them precious little to cheer for the second straight day.

The Ibrahim Zadran-led side, who managed just 159, three more than they sent on Sunday, on a batting-friendly pitch, had no chance of stopping India’s powerful batting order, not even on a night when their best bowler, Rashid Khan, picked up three wickets.

ANOTHER EARLY KNOCK FROM SAMSON

Having missed a good opportunity to stretch his muscles on Sunday, Sanju Samson was in no mood to be overtaken by another. The Chennai Super Kings batsman brought up his first fifty in the format since the T20 World Cup final earlier this year, ending a streak of five innings without a half-century. He smashed 57 off just 22 balls, hitting four sixes and seven boundaries in Delhi.

Samson looked in complete control and took his time before taking on the Afghan bowlers. The Kerala superstar flaunted his class with well-timed shots that sent the ball flying all over the park. Whether it was lofted covers or demolition jobs against the spinners, Samson was in the zone and gave fans a glimpse of the mindset and clarity he displayed during India’s World Cup-winning T20 run.

It’s been a tough few months for Samson, who has been in and out of the side, but a fifty in Delhi should give him and the team management a lot of confidence. With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breathing down his neck, Samson produced another timely innings that will keep him firmly in the mix.

Samson was initially happy to play second fiddle to Abhishek Sharma, who picked up where he left off. The left-handed batsman attacked the new ball even as Afghanistan tried to flip the script by starting with spin. Abhishek, who smashed a 32-ball 82 on Sunday, hit four sixes in his 19-ball 39. Interestingly, he spoiled Afghanistan’s plan to use off-spin against him as he crushed the experienced Mohammad Nabi for 22 runs in just 11 deliveries.

Samson and Abhishek added 82 runs in the over and ran away with the game as the Afghan bowlers watched the two batsmen sail the ball into the stands, well aware that their batsmen had not put enough on the board to have a decisive say with the ball.

Even then Rashid Khan was struggling. The T20 big dismissed both Abhishek and Samson in their very first over and added skipper Shreyas Iyer to their roster.

But early damage to Abhishek and Samson allowed the likes of Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma to bide their time and get India over the finish line. The two batsmen added 88 runs in 38 balls as India chased down 160 in less than 15 overs.

NITSKY KUMAR REDDY PERFORMS

Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar Reddy shone with the ball and took career best figures of three for 24 in three overs. It was an encouraging effort from the young all-rounder who has been in and out of the squad in the recent past due to injury concerns.

In the absence of Hardik Pandya, India looked to nurture Nitish as a fast bowling all-rounder and the 23-year-old bent his back to deliver a memorable bowling effort. It came days after he was smashed for 30 runs in two overs in the series opener on Sunday.

Nitish was tireless looking at the net on Tuesday and looked confident and got his opportunity in the ninth over. He got the big wicket of Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran, who struggled to bat after leading the team’s score in the over with 37 runs. It was an innocuous delivery that was whipped into the wicket and sat up for a big shot. However, Ibrahim found the deep mid-wicket fielder who failed to make full use of the delivery.

It was the end of a 51-run partnership for the second wicket between Ibrahim and Sediqullah Atal that gave Afghanistan a steady phase after losing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 0 to Arshdeep Singh.

In his next over, Nitish got the wicket of Gulbadin Naib who also bowled a cross bat after the start.

Nitish punched it and another bounce led to Gulbadin’s fall. He blasted one into the night sky before Sanju Samson took a fine catch, exciting the young bowler who was rewarded with two early wickets.

Nitish was tasked with bowling the last end of the innings. Afghanistan were reeling at 148 for 7 but Rashid Khan, batting on 28 off 15, looked to do some late damage.

However, Nitish got Afghanistan’s star with the first delivery of the final over. As Rashid gave himself space to aim for the stands, Nitish followed with a slower delivery from behind, a variation that is becoming a staple for fast bowlers at the death in T20 cricket, and had him caught at mid-wicket. Despite conceding a six off the last delivery of the over, Nitish kept it to just 11 runs and helped India close the innings without much damage.

Apart from Shivam Dube, who once again got through solitary confinement, all other Indian bowlers were between the wickets. Arshdeep Singh took two while Axar Patel who took a big wicket in the form of Azmatullah Omarzai, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi all got into the wicket column.

It was another disappointing show from Afghanistan’s top order as they were reduced to 96 for 5, with none of their top five managing to cross the 30-run mark.

Cameos from Darwish Rasooli (26), Rashid (28) and senior batsman Mohammad Nabi (20) helped them put up a respectable total on the board, but it was still a score that their bowlers didn’t have much to do with.

It was another encouraging day for comeback man Bumrah, who hit the decisive wicket of Nabi in the penultimate over to end the 48-run stand. He also started the day by setting the tone for India with a girl above him.

In the end, Afghanistan’s 159 proved too little as Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma burst into their bowling attack, taking the game away by 82 runs in a powerplay.

The two teams will meet in the series finale on Thursday. With India having already wrapped up the series, they may want to test the bench ahead of the Asian Games. Afghanistan, on the other hand, need to improve their performance significantly if they are to open their account against India in T20I cricket.

– The end

Published on:

15 Sep 2026 22:34 IST