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

Brief Scores: 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 unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

13.4 overs for the chase on Sunday. 14.5 overs for another drubbing a day later. India took an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, handing the designated hosts another thrashing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi in the second game on Tuesday.

Delhi's roads can turn into a free-for-all once the traffic thins out, with the occasional driver choosing to go the wrong way. On the 22 yards at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, however, there was only one direction of traffic with Afghanistan not daring to challenge the established order.

The 24,215 crowd on Tuesday included a sizeable contingent of Afghan fans, but the designated hosts gave them precious little to cheer about for a second straight day.

Managing just 159, three more than what they posted on Sunday, on a batting-friendly pitch, the Ibrahim Zadran-led team had no chance of stopping the mighty Indian batting order, even on a night when their best bowler, Rashid Khan, picked up three wickets.ANOTHER TIMELY KNOCK FROM SAMSON

Sanju Samson, who missed out on a good opportunity to flex his muscles on Sunday, was in no mood to let another one pass him by. The Chennai Super Kings batter brought up his first fifty in the format since the T20 World Cup final earlier this year, ending a run of five innings without a half-century. He smashed 57 off just 22 balls, hitting four sixes and seven boundaries in Delhi.

Samson appeared in complete control, taking his time to get going before launching into the Afghanistan bowlers. The Kerala superstar flaunted his class with crisply timed shots that sent the ball flying all across the park. Be it the lofted cover drives or the stand-and-hit demolition job against the spinners, Samson was in the zone, giving fans glimpses of the mindset and clarity he showcased during India's T20 World Cup-winning run.

It has been a tough few months for Samson, who has been in and out of the side, but the fifty in Delhi should give both him and the team management plenty 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 continued from where he left off. The left-handed batter tore into the new-ball attack, even as Afghanistan tried to flip the script by starting with spin. Abhishek, who had smashed a 32-ball 82 on Sunday, hit four sixes in his 19-ball 39. Interestingly, he ruined Afghanistan's plan to use off-spin against him, smashing the experienced Mohammad Nabi for 22 runs in just 11 deliveries.

Samson and Abhishek added 82 runs in the powerplay, running away with the game as Afghanistan's bowlers watched the two batters sail the ball into the stands, knowing fully well that their batters had not put enough on the board for them to have a decisive say with the ball.

Even then, Rashid Khan fought. The T20 great dismissed both Abhishek and Samson in his very first over and added captain Shreyas Iyer to his tally.

But the early damage done by Abhishek and Samson allowed the likes of Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma to take their time and get India past the finish line. The two batters added xx runs in xx balls as India chased down 160 in less than 15 overs.NITISH KUMAR REDDY STEPS UP

Earlier in the day, Nitish Kumar Reddy shone with the ball, producing his 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 team with injury concerns in the recent past.

In Hardik Pandya's absence, India have been looking to groom Nitish as a fast-bowling all-rounder, and the 23-year-old bent his back to produce a memorable bowling effort. It came days after he was smashed for 30 runs in two overs in the series opener on Sunday.

Having bowled relentlessly in the nets, Nitish appeared confident on Tuesday, getting his opportunity in the ninth over. He got the big wicket of Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran, who was looking to tee off after leading the team's scoring in the powerplay with 37 runs. It was a harmless delivery that was banged into the wicket and sat up for a big shot. However, Ibrahim found the deep mid-wicket fielder, failing 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 had given Afghanistan a steady phase after they lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz for 0 to Arshdeep Singh.

In his very next over, Nitish got the wicket of Gulbadin Naib, who also played a cross-batted swipe after getting a start.

Nitish banged it in, and the extra bounce led to Gulbadin's downfall. He top-edged one into the night sky before Sanju Samson took a fine catch, thrilling the young bowler, who had been rewarded with two early wickets.

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

However, Nitish got the Afghanistan star with the first delivery of the final over. While Rashid was giving himself room to target the stands, Nitish followed him with a back-of-the-hand slower delivery, 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 from the final delivery of the over, Nitish kept it to just 11 runs and helped India close out the innings without much damage.

Barring Shivam Dube, who again got a solitary over, all the other Indian bowlers were among the wickets. Arshdeep Singh took two, while Axar Patel, who got the big wicket of in-form Azmatullah Omarzai, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Bishnoi all got into the wickets column.

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

Cameos from Darwish Rasooli (26), Rashid (28) and senior campaigner Mohammad Nabi (20) helped them get a respectable total on the board, but it was still a score that gave their bowlers little to work with.

It was another encouraging day for comeback man Bumrah, who chipped in with the crucial wicket of Nabi in the penultimate over, ending a 48-run stand. He had also begun the day by setting the tone for India with a maiden over.

In the end, Afghanistan's 159 proved far too few as Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma tore into their bowling attack, taking the game away with an 82-run partnership in the powerplay.

The two teams will meet in the series finale on Thursday. With India having sealed the series already, they might want to test the bench before the Asian Games. Afghanistan, on the other hand, need a massively improved performance if they are to open their account against India in T20I cricket.- EndsPublished By: alan johnPublished On: Sep 15, 2026 22:34 IST