Abhishek 1-0 Samson as India crush Afghanistan in Delhi T20I series opener

Brief Score, AFG vs IND, 1st T20I: India (157/3 in 13.4 ovs) beat Afghanistan (156/8 in 20 ovs). Abhishek Sharma 82 off 32 balls; Arshdeep Singh 3/19

It might have been the designated home for Afghanistan in the first T20I of a landmark series in Delhi, but India showed why they are the masters of such conditions. Led by a rampant Abhishek Sharma and a disciplined bowling effort, India decimated Afghanistan by seven wickets, chasing 157 in just 13.4 overs.

The pre-series chatter was dominated by the selection headache India faced. Despite their ordinary results in the shortest format since their T20 World Cup triumph, the Shreyas Iyer-led Men in Blue were always going to be counted as favourites against a full-strength Afghanistan. That remained the case despite Afghanistan hosting India for the first time, and at a venue where India have had mixed results in the past.

On the eve of the game, captain Iyer conceded that picking one of Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and wonder kid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was going to be a tough task. But India made the call, dropping the 15-year-old to the bench and backing the T20 World Cup-winning right-left combination for the series opener.

For Sanju Samson, it was a golden chance to send a message to the team management after being left out of their previous assignment, the tour of Zimbabwe. For Abhishek Sharma, it was a crucial opportunity to prove his naysayers wrong after going nine innings without a fifty, a run that included four single-digit scores. Any extension of that run could have sent him to the bench, considering the competition for spots, but the Punjab opener made the most of the opportunity that came his way.

Sanju Samson was dismissed for 10 after showing glimpses of why he is rated so highly, finding the deep mid-wicket fielder when he tried to clear the fence in the powerplay. You can call it high risk, high reward, but Samson has been guilty of playing the flick early in his innings and finding the fielders.ABHISHEK ANSWERS THE CALL

Abhishek, though, made an emphatic statement, smashing 82 from just 32 balls. By the time Mohammad Nabi got him out with a full toss in the 11th over, India had all but raced past the finish line.

The left-handed opener entertained the 25,000-strong crowd by sending balls flying into the stands at regular intervals. He made his intentions clear, launching Fazalhaq Farooqi into the stands as early as the first over. And he never looked back.

Abhishek was severe against both spin and pace, getting to his fifty in just 22 deliveries and stitching together a partnership that hurt Afghanistan from both ends. Ishan Kishan was happy to play second fiddle, but he too was striking at over 150. The two batters added 121 runs in just 53 balls for the second wicket, ensuring the series opener in Delhi was a one-sided affair.

With seven sixes and as many boundaries, Abhishek flaunted his range, targeting all parts of the boundary against all types of bowlers. He offered little respect to the wily Afghanistan spinners, who had nowhere to hide, considering the short boundaries at Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Barring Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Abhishek did not spare anyone. He dealt with Fazalhaq and Omarzai with such ease that he picked their pockets at will.

India raced to 82 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, exactly double Afghanistan's score with three fewer wickets down. When the gap is that glaring in the first six overs, the team on top in the powerplay often goes on to win. It was no different on Sunday, despite Afghanistan possessing high-quality spinners in their ranks.

Afghanistan’s only hope for some respite was their spinners, led by legendary Rashid Khan.

But Abhishek Sharma was in no mood to be overawed by reputation. To him, the bowler at the other end was simply another challenge, and the white ball another target. Against Afghanistan’s quartet of spinners, he smashed 46 runs off just 20 balls, never allowing them to settle on a pitch that offered little assistance to the slower bowlers.

Ishan Kishan fell for 42 off 33 balls when India were a hit away from victory. But Tilak Varma and Shreyas Iyer remained unbeaten in the end as India wrapped up the chase in quick time, ensuring the Delhi cricket fans reached home on time before the Monday blues set in.

India had lived up to the billing by first restricting Afghanistan to 156, a total that looked at least 50 runs below par on a pitch that had plenty of bounce and offered high value for shots.BUMRAH BACK, AND IN STYLE

Iyer’s men did most things right on the field after winning the toss and opting to field. Barring a dropped catch from Ishan Kishan, their fielding also looked much improved, thanks to the extensive focus on fielding drills led by new fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh. India effected two run-outs, which added to the pressure Afghanistan faced after losing early wickets.

India were intent on using their part-timers, but their pace-bowling all-rounders leaked aplenty. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube gave away 51 runs in three overs, nearly one-third of the total. Shreyas Iyer gave Dube the final over of the Afghanistan innings, and the all-rounder gave away 21 runs, including two boundaries to tail-ender Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

But the frontline bowlers were on target on Sunday.

It was set up by the master, Jasprit Bumrah, who needed just two legal deliveries to strike on his return to action from an injury layoff. He steamed in, much like he did on Friday night in the nets when he decided to give his teammates, including wonder kid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a tough time. This time, the victim was Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who fell prey to the extra bounce and Bumrah’s no-nonsense line.

The Afghanistan top order appeared in a hurry to head back to the comforts of the ‘home’ dressing room. Ishan Kishan’s tidy work along the deep mid-wicket boundary resulted in the run-out of captain Ibrahim Zadran.

Then went Sediqullah Atal. The young left-hander, who had hit Bumrah for a six, tried to be fancy when he bid to steer an Arshdeep Singh yorker past Jasprit Bumrah at short third man.

Returning Gulbadin Naib also played a nothing shot to leave Afghanistan reeling at 41 for 4 at the end of the mandatory powerplay. It became 43 for 5 when Varun Chakravarthy joined the party and broke the stumps of Darwish Rasooli.ARSHDEEP SHINES

Experience, however, came in handy for Afghanistan. Mohammad Nabi, 41, and familiar IPL face Azmatullah Omarzai brought calm to the middle, playing out the Indian bowling with more sense. They did take time to get going, but eventually ended up adding 83 runs in 9.2 overs for the sixth wicket.

Nabi was happy to play second fiddle to Omarzai, who remained unbeaten on 64 off 44 deliveries.

Arshdeep gave India the crucial breakthrough in the 17th over, ending the partnership that was threatening to give Afghanistan late impetus. He was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 3 for 19 in four overs, even more economical than Bumrah.

But Bumrah was at his tidy best in the death, conceding just three runs and putting pressure on Rashid Khan, who managed just 1 off 10 deliveries on Sunday. In the very next over, Arshdeep enjoyed the result of it, dismissing the former captain, who tried to clear long-off but couldn’t.

It was all Omarzai from then on as he made the most of Dube's final over to take the visitors past 150, but the total was far from enough.

Afghanistan, who have never beaten India in a T20I, will go again on Tuesday. The conditions will be similar, but Ibrahim’s men need a much better effort if they are to break their duck and save the ‘home’ series.- EndsPublished By: Amar PanickerPublished On: Sep 13, 2026 22:44 IST