New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS): One game was enough to establish the early hierarchy in the three-match series. The second could reveal whether Afghanistan have an answer. India return to the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday with a 1-0 lead over Afghanistan, knowing another victory will seal the series.
For Ibrahim Zadran’s side, however, the equation is considerably more urgent: another defeat would leave them with only Thursday’s final T20I to salvage something from a series that began with promise but ended in a seven-wicket defeat.
The opening match exposed the difference between the two sides’ starts. Afghanistan were four down inside the powerplay and eventually slipped to 43/5 before Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi rebuilt the innings with an 83-run partnership. Omarzai’s unbeaten 64 off 44 balls dragged Afghanistan to 156/8, but the total never looked imposing once India’s chase got underway. Arshdeep Singh’s 3/19 had already done the damage with the ball.
Then came Abhishek Sharma. The left-hander turned the chase into a procession, smashing 82 from just 32 balls, including seven sixes and seven fours. Ishan Kishan’s 42 provided the support as India raced to 157/3 in 13.4 overs, leaving Afghanistan with little opportunity to bring their celebrated spin attack into the contest.
That could make the second T20I a different proposition. Afghanistan’s first task is obvious: survive the new-ball phase. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was dismissed for a duck by Jasprit Bumrah in the opening over of the series, while the Indian attack kept the pressure on before Omarzai and Nabi’s recovery. If Afghanistan are to challenge India, Ibrahim Zadran, Gurbaz and the top order will need to give the middle order something substantial to work with.
Omarzai, meanwhile, has already provided a template. His counter-attacking innings was the clearest sign that India’s bowling can be disrupted when Afghanistan take the initiative rather than simply trying to survive. Mohammad Nabi’s experience also remains crucial, particularly against a batting line-up that could again attempt to dominate from the outset.
For India, the bigger question may be selection rather than form. Shreyas Iyer had described the abundance of options between Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as a “luxury” before the series. India eventually went with Abhishek and Samson at the top for the opener, leaving Sooryavanshi out. Abhishek’s 82 has now made that decision considerably harder to revisit, while Samson’s 10 means the competition for places remains alive.
Ishan Kishan’s 42 further complicates the equation, although his performance also demonstrated why India’s batting depth is such a problem for Afghanistan.
The bowling department, meanwhile, delivered precisely the sort of start India would have wanted from Jasprit Bumrah’s return. Bumrah struck early, while Arshdeep’s three-wicket haul provided the cutting edge. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also picked up wickets as Afghanistan struggled to build momentum.
Bumrah’s workload could be worth watching, particularly with India also preparing for the Asian Games. Harshit Rana is unavailable after suffering a rectus femoris strain during a training simulation, with Yash Thakur brought into the squad as his replacement.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have no shortage of weapons waiting to make a bigger impact. Their squad contains Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Nangyal Kharoti, while Naveen-ul-Haq’s return adds another dimension to the pace attack. Ibrahim Zadran is also playing his first series as Afghanistan’s full-time T20I captain.
The challenge is turning that individual quality into a collective performance. India have historically held the upper hand in this fixture, and Sunday’s result extended their winning record in T20Is against Afghanistan. But the second game presents Afghanistan with one final opportunity to put pressure back on the world champions before the series slips away.
For India, it is about finishing the job. For Afghanistan, it is about making India work for it. And after the first game was effectively decided by India’s explosive start, Tuesday’s contest may come down to one simple question: can Afghanistan finally control the first six overs?
When: Tuesday, September 15, 7:30 PM IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Where to watch: The match will be shown live on Sony Sports Ten 3, 4 and 5 SD & HD channels on TV. Live-streaming will be available on the FanCode app and website.
Squads
India: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma (vc), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Yash Thakur
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Noor Rahman (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Naveen-ul-Haq.
