Sanju style da! India wins T20 series against Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: India won the three-match series (2-0) by defeating Afghanistan by seven wickets in the second T20I. Batting first after losing the toss, Afghanistan scored 159 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs, while India chased down the target in 14.5 overs for the loss of three wickets.

Sanju Samson, who had a disappointing outing in the first match, spearheaded India's victory on Tuesday with a magnificent half-century. He scored 57 runs off 22 balls, including seven fours and four sixes. India's win was effectively sealed when Abhishek (39 off 19 balls) and Sanju put together an opening partnership of 88 runs in 6.2 overs. Although Shreyas (11) stumbled, Ishan Kishan (38 not out) and Tilak Verma (15 not out) guided the team to victory with 31 balls to spare.

Afghanistan was kept in check by a collective bowling effort: Nitish Kumar Reddy claimed three wickets, Arshdeep Singh took two, and Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi picked up one wicket each.

Arshdeep dealt the first blow by dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck on the third ball of the second over. Subsequently, captain Ibrahim Zadran (37) and Sediqullah Atal (12) steadied the innings. Nitish broke the partnership by dismissing Ibrahim on the first ball of the ninth over, triggering a procession of Afghan batters back to the pavilion. Nitish also claimed the wickets of Gulbadin Naib (10) and Rashid Khan (28).

Meanwhile, Ravi Bishnoi dismissed Atal, Arshdeep removed Darwish Rasooli (26), Axar Patel took the wicket of Azmatullah Omarzai (11), and Bumrah dismissed Mohammad Nabi (20).