Abhishek lights up Delhi as India cruise past Afghanistan
Omarzai's half-century took Afghanistan to 157 but it proved insufficient with India chasing down the target in 13.4 overs
13/09Result
1st T20I (N), Afghanistan tour of India [Sep 2026] at Delhi, Sep 13 2026
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![Afghanistan]( "Afghanistan")
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![India]( "India")
157/3 (13.4/20 ov)
Player of the Match
13/09Result
1st T20I (N), Afghanistan tour of India [Sep 2026] at Delhi, Sep 13 2026
-
![Afghanistan]( "Afghanistan")
-
![India]( "India")
157/3 (13.4/20 ov)
Player of the Match
Match Centre
Statistics
Best performances - Batsmen
Abhishek Sharma
82(32) 7x4 - 7x6
Control %89%
- Productive Shot
- cover drive
- 26 runs
- 3x4 - 2x6
Azmatullah Omarzai
64(44) 4x4 - 4x6
Control %73%
- Productive Shot
- on drive
- 15 runs
- 0x4 - 2x6
Best performances - Bowlers
Arshdeep Singh
- O4
- M0
- R19
- W3
- Eco4.75
| 1W | ||||
| 1W | ||||
- FTFULL TOSS
- YYORKER
- FFULL LENGTH
- GGOOD LENGTH
- SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
- SSHORT LENGTH
| 1W | ||||
Mohammad Nabi
- O3
- M0
- R28
- W2
- Eco9.33
- FTFULL TOSS
- YYORKER
- FFULL LENGTH
- GGOOD LENGTH
- SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
- SSHORT LENGTH
| 1W | ||||
| 1W | ||||
Match Details
Toss
India , elected to field first
Player Of The Match
Series result
India led the 3-match series 1-0
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
19.30 start, First Session 19.30-21.00, Interval 21.00-21.20, Second Session 21.20-22.50
Match days
13 September 2026 - night match (20-over match)
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Scorecard Summary
AFGHANISTAN 156/8 (20 OVERS)
- Mohammad Nabi33 (27)
- Azmatullah Omarzai*64 (44)
- Varun Chakravarthy1/16 (4)
- Arshdeep Singh3/19 (4)
INDIA 157/3 (13.4 OVERS)
- Ishan Kishan42 (33)
- Abhishek Sharma82 (32)
- Mohammad Nabi2/28 (3)
- Azmatullah Omarzai1/14 (1)
Scorer: Thilak Ram | Commentator: Sreshth and Ekanth
One down, two to go. It's a short series, it's started with a one-sided game. This could've been a much bigger win but Afghanistan picked apart some of India's mistake. More on that in Sidharth Monga's report. It also gives more juice for Abhijato, our reporter at the ground, to work with. Read his match analysis. More coming from him and us this series. See you for that. Thanks for joining tonight, bye.
Shreyas Iyer, India captain: Everyone worked in synergy. Bumrah is a great asset, he created momentum for all. Arshdeep too. Varun continued that with Axar. No choice (for the last over), was unfair on Dube to come on without being able to judge the pitch. But it's absolutely fine because he'll go and work things out. The shots Abhishek played were flawless, exemplary. Kishan has been in great form. He's very relaxed, calm and knows his game.
Ibrahim Zadran, Afghanistan captain: We batted well in the middle overs but didn't put up a good score. Their bowlers and fielders did well, that run out by Kishan was the turning point I think. They're the best fielding side. Gurbaz didn't have his day, but he will come back stronger.
Abhishek Sharma, POTM: Getting a catch in the first over makes you confident, very happy. When we face Bumrah in the nets, it feels like we're facing first few overs of a Test. I still remember two years back, we decided we want to play a certain way and dominate all teams. It worked for a year. But one or two (bad) series won't define our batting. As openers, you want to give a good start as an opener.
Shabd: "Abhishek did Indian fans a favor by finishing the match early. now no need to switch scores between men and women match. " Voice of reason you are, Shabd. SL have just lost Chamari Athapaththu for 36. SL 62 for 2 in the 10th over chasing 184. Deepti Sharma's wicket celebrations are next level. Vishmi Gunaratne falls three balls later. Is that the game?
Aniruddha : "Why was NKR in this team? To bowl 2 overs? " Result aside, I feel he should've been given one more, even though he went for 30 off 12, so that Dube didn't have to bowl. But this line of questioning/statement-making isn't all that strong either. India had a huge early advantage and had him bowl into the pitch and yorkers. There was a plan, even if not a successful one
SamC: "Can Home Track Bully be a Compliment??!" Can 'bully' be a compliment?
10:29pm: Afghanistan have been Abhishook! Not just shook but dragged around and left with nothing to show for. They got Samson early, that did nothing to stop the boundaries. Five of the first six overs went for more than ten, one went for 26. To use PE-teacher syntax, what comeback you'll do from there?
13.4
2
Rashid Khan to Tilak Varma, 2 runs, Length outside off, goes back and guides it towards backward point. Went off the toe of the bat... oh boy, there's an overtthow and India win! Tilak was a touch slow, so the fielder threw the ball hard. Long-on was the only back-up, so the batters took two easy
avikrams: "An absolute screamer at long-on, leaving not only Gambhir but also my 3 years oold son who is screen savy, wondering whether to applaud the catch or check his pulse!"
13.3
1
Rashid Khan to Iyer, 1 run, Flat length ball down leg, glanced to short fine leg for a quick run
13.2
1
Rashid Khan to Tilak Varma, 1 run, Length around off, punched off the back foot to long-off
13.1
1
Rashid Khan to Iyer, 1 run, Shortish and flat on leg, flicked to deep midwicket
SunnyMan : "Beautiful Sunday morning in California. Watching both India watches simultaneously on 2 different screens. Hopefully not for too long as men wrap this one!" Likely to be the lost over this
END OF OVER:13 | 6 Runs 1 Wkt | IND: 152/3 (5 runs required from 42 balls, RR: 11.69, RRR: 0.71)
- Tilak Varma0 (2b)
- Shreyas Iyer6 (3b)
- Mohammad Nabi3-0-28-2
- Rashid Khan3-0-29-0
12.6
0
Mohammad Nabi to Tilak Varma, no run, Shortish on off, back-foot caress to cover
12.5
0
Mohammad Nabi to Tilak Varma, no run, Fullish on middle, looks to flick it across. Too early into the shot. Popped to the bowler
Slip in
Match Coverage
All Match NewsIndia eliminate Afghanistan's sixes, but fifth-bowler worries remain
The four frontline bowlers enjoyed a dominant night out, but Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube went for plenty
Pybus: 'We made fundamental mistakes, we'll be reviewing that'
"We were considerably short of the type of target we should have been able to set," Richard Pybus says of Afghanistan's batting in the first T20I against India
Abhishek lights up Delhi as India cruise past Afghanistan
Omarzai's half-century took Afghanistan to 157 but it proved insufficient with India chasing down the target in 13.4 overs
India bowl, leave out Sooryavanshi for Abhishek and Samson
Bumrah and Varun return to join Arshdeep as specialist bowlers in the bowling attack
Naveen-ul-Haq is back, fierce and unbothered
He's smart, skillful, deeply philosophical about the game, and raring to go after a long and frustrating injury break
