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India produced another commanding all-round performance to defeat Afghanistan by seven wickets on Tuesday, securing an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match Twenty20 international series with one fixture remaining.
The victory was anchored by a blistering half-century from opening batter Sanju Samson, who dismantled the Afghan bowling attack during an explosive chase. India chased down the target of 160 with considerable ease, reaching 163 for 3 in just 14.5 overs at the same ground where they had achieved an identical seven-wicket win in Sunday's series opener.
Samson delivered a masterclass in aggressive stroke play, smashing 57 runs from just 22 deliveries. His whirlwind innings was laced with seven boundaries and four towering sixes, demonstrating remarkable intent from the very first over of the pursuit.
The innings marked Samson’s seventh career half-century in Twenty20 internationals, which he completed in just 20 balls. It also represented his first fifty in the format since his standout performance in the final of this year’s T20 World Cup, where he earned the player of the tournament accolade.
Samson was aided at the top of the order by Abhishek Sharma, who matched his partner's aggression with a dynamic 39 off 19 deliveries, an effort that featured four sixes. Together, the Indian openers established complete control over the contest, combining for a destructive 88-run partnership in a mere 38 balls.
Afghanistan, seeking to stem the flow of boundaries that had plagued them in the opening fixture, altered their tactics by introducing spin during the powerplay overs. However, the adjustment did little to deter the Indian openers, who took full advantage of the fielding restrictions to propel the side to a mammoth 82 for no loss by the end of the sixth over.
The explosive start enabled India to cross the 100-run threshold in just 7.1 overs. This milestone registered as the joint second-fastest team century compiled by the Indian men's side in T20 international cricket since 2024.
Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan provided Afghanistan with brief moments of celebration when he finally broke through in the seventh over. Rashid removed Sharma, who was caught at deep midwicket, before removing Samson in the very same over as the batter holed out to long-off.
Rashid continued to trouble the Indian top order by capturing the wicket of Indian captain Shreyas Iyer, who was caught in the slip cordon. Despite taking three quick wickets to finish as the standout bowler for the nominal home team, Rashid's individual brilliance came too late to derail the pursuit.
Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan and middle-order partner Tilak Varma ensured there were no further setbacks for the visitors. Kishan played a fluent, unbeaten hand of 38, while Varma contributed an undefeated 15, guiding India comfortably across the finish line with more than five overs to spare.
Earlier in the day, India won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that immediately paid dividends as Afghanistan struggled to post a competitive total for the second consecutive match. Operating as the designated hosts under a unique series arrangement, the Afghan side concluded their 20 overs at 159 for 8.
Afghanistan's innings suffered an early blow when explosive opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a second straight duck in the series, falling to the bowling of left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh.
Captain Ibrahim Zadran attempted to steady the innings, crafting a composed 37 from 33 deliveries to ensure his team maintained a stable platform without suffering heavy losses in the powerplay. However, the Afghan middle order unravelled once Zadran departed, suffering a severe collapse that saw them slump from 59 for 2 to 100 for 6.
Indian all-rounder Nitish Reddy proved to be the chief architect of Afghanistan's mid-innings slump, claiming two vital wickets in the middle overs. Reddy finished with impressive bowling figures of 3 for 24 from his three overs, keeping the Afghan batters thoroughly tied down.
A late-innings fightback orchestrated by Rashid Khan and veteran campaigner Mohammad Nabi helped Afghanistan salvage a respectable score. The pair combined for an entertaining 48-run partnership from only 28 balls, counter-attacking in the closing stages.
Rashid contributed 28 runs from 16 deliveries, striking three fours and one six, while Nabi chipped in with an efficient 20 off 14 balls. Despite their lower-order rescue effort, the eventual target of 160 proved grossly inadequate against India's power-packed batting line-up, leaving Afghanistan with an insurmountable deficit ahead of the final T20 match.
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