New Delhi: India will look to seal the three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan when the two sides meet in the second game at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. India leads the series 1-0 after securing a seven-wicket victory in the opening match.
India’s win was built around a blistering half-century from opener Abhishek Sharma, a three-wicket haul by left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh and successful returns from pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy after injury. Under captain Shreyas Iyer, India will now seek another comprehensive performance to wrap up the series, while Afghanistan will need a victory to take the contest into the third and final T20I.
Although Afghanistan is officially the host for the series, all three matches are being played in India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The series also provides India with an opportunity to fine-tune its combination ahead of the T20 cricket event at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, later this month.
India will expect returning all-rounders Nitish Reddy and Shivam Dube to contribute more effectively with the ball. The duo conceded 51 runs in three overs in the opening match, including 21 runs from Dube’s over. Their improvement with the ball could add further balance to India’s playing XI.
Another selection question concerns young opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi. He was left out of the XI for the first T20I, with experienced wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson brought into the side. Samson scored 10 runs, leaving the possibility of Suryavanshi returning for the second match open for discussion.
Afghanistan’s challenge will be particularly difficult on the relatively small boundaries at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The visitors managed 156 in the opening game, a total India chased comfortably. With Bumrah, Arshdeep and Nitish Reddy leading the pace attack and Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma providing spin options, Afghanistan’s batting will need to produce a significantly larger total.
A major focus will be on opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Gurbaz was dismissed without scoring from Bumrah’s second delivery in the first match, preventing Afghanistan from making the fast start it needed. Captain Ibrahim Zadran has backed Gurbaz to make a strong comeback in the second game.
Bumrah, meanwhile, made an immediate impact on his return from injury. He took a wicket in his opening over and conceded only five runs in the penultimate and final over he bowled. If Bumrah and Arshdeep maintain their rhythm, Afghanistan’s batting will face another demanding examination.
Afghanistan does have experienced bowling resources, including Rashid Khan, while fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq has also returned after injury. However, the side’s batting depth remains an important area of concern after the first match.
Shreyas praises India’s bowling unit
India captain Shreyas Iyer praised the team’s collective bowling effort after the opening victory. He highlighted Bumrah’s early wicket and said Arshdeep, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy were able to build on the momentum.
Iyer also backed Shivam Dube despite his expensive final over, saying it would be useful for the all-rounder to assess the situations in which he is most effective with the ball. He also praised Abhishek Sharma for his attacking innings and noted that Ishan Kishan was batting with confidence.
Abhishek says early catch boosted confidence
Player of the Match Abhishek Sharma said taking Gurbaz’s catch off Bumrah in the opening over increased his confidence during the game. He also spoke about India’s approach of putting opponents under pressure and said the team’s aggressive batting strategy had produced results over the past year.
As an opener, Abhishek said his priority is to provide the team with a strong start, while also acknowledging the importance of assessing a batter’s performance across a longer period rather than judging it on one or two series.
Ibrahim backs Gurbaz to return strongly
Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran acknowledged that his team failed to build a sufficiently large total despite batting well during the middle overs. He credited India’s bowlers and fielders, particularly pointing to Ishan Kishan’s run-out of him as a turning point in the match.
Zadran said Gurbaz had simply experienced a difficult day and expressed confidence that the opener would return strongly in the second T20I.
