Afghanistan vs India, 1st T20I, Sep 13, 2026: commentary
| Afghanistan | 156/8 | 20.0 ov |
|---|---|---|
| India | 157/3 | 13.4 ov |
India win by 7 wickets
Result
India win by 7 wickets
What the reporting says
India are without Hardik Pandya and Harshit Rana through injury, while Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy return.
Afghanistan get Naveen-ul-Haq back after injury, with Noor ul Rahman and Nangeyalia Kharote the only other squad additions.
Sanju Samson, back in India's squad, was Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup; Sooryavanshi was Player of the Series in Zimbabwe.
Delhi's IPL pitch went at 9.63 runs an over this year and small boundaries should favour big scores.
Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy both returned successfully from injury for India in this match.
Abhishek Sharma ended a lean run with 82 off 32 balls.
Facts taken from the stories linked beside them, each from a sentence in the original.
IND 1ST
- 13.4
Over 14. 5 runs. Bowler: Rashid Khan. India: 157/3(rr 11.21)
- 13.4
Rashid Khan to Tilak Varma. Googly length ball, outside off stump on the back foot driving, Played to point for 2 runs, overthrow by Eisakhil, fielded by Eisakhil. India stormed to a seven-wicket victory, chasing down Afghanistan's 156 with 38 balls to spare and taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The chase was set up by a breathtaking assault from Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 82 off just 32 balls, including seven fours and seven sixes. Ishan Kishan provided excellent support with a composed 42 before falling, while Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Varma calmly finished the job. Afghanistan's bowlers struggled to contain India's aggressive top order, with Mohammad Nabi taking two wickets.
- 13.3
Rashid Khan to Shreyas Iyer. Googly length ball, to leg on the back foot working, inside edge to short fine leg for 1 run, fielded by Farooqi.
- 13.2
Rashid Khan to Tilak Varma. Leg spinner length ball, off stump on the back foot driving, Played to long off for 1 run, fielded by Eisakhil.
- 13.1
Rashid Khan to Shreyas Iyer. Googly length ball, off stump on the back foot working, Played to deep mid wicket for 1 run, fielded by Lakanwal.
- 13.0
Over 13. 6 runs. Bowler: Mohammad Nabi. India: 152/3(rr 11.69)
- 12.6
Mohammad Nabi to Tilak Varma. Off break length ball, outside off stump on the back foot driving, Played to short extra cover for no runs, fielded by Zadran.
- 12.5
Mohammad Nabi to Tilak Varma. Off break length ball, outside off stump on the front foot driving, Played to silly mid off for no runs.
- 12.4
OUT! Caught. Mohammad Nabi to Ishan Kishan. Off break length ball, outside off stump on the front foot Slog, mis-timed in the air uncontrolled to long on, caught by Arman. Brilliant catch from Rashid.
- 12.3
Mohammad Nabi to Shreyas Iyer. Off break length ball, down leg side on the front foot working, Played to deep mid wicket for 1 run, fielded by Farooqi.
- 12.2
Mohammad Nabi to Ishan Kishan. Off break length ball, outside off stump on the back foot cutting, Played to deep cover for 1 run, fielded by Omarzai.
- 12.1
FOUR! Mohammad Nabi to Ishan Kishan. Quicker ball half volley, outside off stump on the front foot driving, well timed past long on for 4 runs.
- 12.0
Over 12. 7 runs. Bowler: Rashid Khan. India: 146/2(rr 12.17)
- 11.6
Rashid Khan to Ishan Kishan. Leg spinner length ball, down leg side on the front foot working, Played to deep backward square leg for 1 run, fielded by Farooqi.
- 11.5
Rashid Khan to Shreyas Iyer. Leg spinner length ball, outside off stump on the back foot cutting, Played to deep cover for 1 run, fielded by Rasooli.
- 11.4
FOUR! Rashid Khan to Shreyas Iyer. Leg spinner length ball, outside off stump on the front foot driving, well timed past deep backward point for 4 runs.
- 11.3
Rashid Khan to Ishan Kishan. Leg spinner length ball, to leg on the back foot pulling, Played in the air under control to deep mid wicket for 1 run, fielded by Rasooli.
- 11.2
Rashid Khan to Ishan Kishan. Googly length ball, down leg side on the front foot working, hit pad to point for no runs, fielded by Farooqi.
- 11.1
Rashid Khan to Ishan Kishan. Leg spinner length ball, down leg side on the back foot working, hit pad for no runs, fielded by Gurbaz.
- 11.0
Over 11. 9 runs. Bowler: Mohammad Nabi. India: 139/2(rr 12.64)
- 10.6
OUT! Caught. Mohammad Nabi to Abhishek Sharma. Off break full toss, middle stump on the front foot Slog, mis-timed in the air uncontrolled to long on, caught by Arman. Abhishek Sharma's marvellous innings comes to an end.
- 2.1
OUT! Caught. Azmatullah Omarzai to Sanju Samson. Out-swinging back of a length, outside off stump on the front foot pulling, mis-timed in the air uncontrolled to deep backward square leg, caught by Rasooli. Omarzai gets a wicket on the very first ball of his spell.
AFG 1ST
- 20.0
Over 20. 21 runs. Bowler: Shivam Dube. Afghanistan: 156/8(rr 7.80)
- 19.6
FOUR! Shivam Dube to Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Short, wide outside off stump on the back foot cutting, well timed in the air under control past deep extra cover for 4 runs. Afghanistan finish on 156 for 8, a competitive total after a turbulent innings. Azmatullah Omarzai led the recovery with a superb unbeaten 64 off 44 balls, striking four sixes and four boundaries. Mohammad Nabi provided valuable support with a brisk 33 off 27, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman added a late flourish. India's bowlers kept things under control early, with Arshdeep Singh the standout performer, claiming three wickets. Bumrah, Axar and Varun also chipped in. Afghanistan's middle order struggled to build partnerships, but their late acceleration has given them something to defend. Stay tuned for the run chase.
- 19.5
FOUR! Shivam Dube to Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Reverse Swing-In half volley, outside off stump on the front foot Slog, outside edge in the air uncontrolled past third man for 4 runs.
- 19.4
Shivam Dube to Azmatullah Omarzai. Off cutter length ball, wide outside off stump on the front foot Slog, mis-timed to mid on for 1 run, fielded by Varma.
- 19.3
SIX! Shivam Dube to Azmatullah Omarzai. Off cutter length ball, wide outside off stump moves in front driving, well timed in the air under control over deep extra cover for 6 runs.
- 19.2
SIX! Shivam Dube to Azmatullah Omarzai. Reverse Swing-In full toss, outside off stump on the front foot Slog, well timed in the air under control over long on for 6 runs.
- 19.1
Shivam Dube to Azmatullah Omarzai. Off cutter length ball, wide outside off stump on the front foot driving, Played to long off for no runs.
- 19.0
Over 19. 5 runs. Bowler: Arshdeep Singh. Afghanistan: 135/8(rr 7.11)
- 18.6
Arshdeep Singh to Azmatullah Omarzai. Reverse Swing-Out length ball, off stump on the front foot driving, mis-timed in the air uncontrolled to deep cover for 1 run, fielded by Kishan.
- 18.5
Arshdeep Singh to Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Back of a length, outside off stump on the back foot working, Played to backward square leg for 1 run, fielded by Bumrah.
- 18.5
Wide Arshdeep Singh to Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Reverse Swing-In half volley, down leg side on the front foot Leave, left for 1 run, fielded by Samson.
- 18.4
Arshdeep Singh to Azmatullah Omarzai. Reverse Swing-In length ball, down leg side backing away working, Played in the air under control to deep mid wicket for 1 run.
- 18.3
OUT! Run Out. Arshdeep Singh to Noor Ahmad. Length ball, outside off stump on the back foot pushing, Played to extra cover, direct hit by Iyer. Terrific from Shreyas Iyer!
- 18.2
OUT! Caught. Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan. Length ball, outside off stump on the front foot Slog, mis-timed in the air uncontrolled to long off, caught by Patel. In the air and gone.
- 18.1
Wide Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan. Half volley, down leg side on the front foot flick, Missed (Leg Side) for 1 run, fielded by Samson.
- 18.1
Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan. Back of a length, outside off stump ducked Leave, left for no runs, fielded by Samson.
- 18.0
Over 18. 3 runs. Bowler: Jasprit Bumrah. Afghanistan: 130/6(rr 7.22)
- 17.6
Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan. Reverse Swing-In yorker, middle stump on the front foot Steer, Played to short third man for 1 run, fielded by Singh.
- 17.5
Jasprit Bumrah to Azmatullah Omarzai. Off cutter back of a length, wide outside off stump on the back foot cutting, Played in the air under control to deep cover for 1 run, fielded by Varma.
- 17.4
Jasprit Bumrah to Azmatullah Omarzai. Reverse Swing-In half volley, off stump on the front foot driving, Played to silly mid off for no runs.
- 16.2
OUT! Bowled. Arshdeep Singh to Mohammad Nabi. Yorker, middle stump on the front foot working, hit pad. Perfect yorker from Arshdeep.
- 6.6
OUT! Bowled. Varun Chakaravarthy to Darwish Rasooli. Googly length ball, off stump on the front foot working, missed. Five down for Afghanistan.
- 5.4
OUT! Caught. Axar Patel to Gulbadin Naib. Stock length ball, outside off stump on the front foot Slog, mis-timed in the air uncontrolled to cover, caught by Reddy. First wicket for Axar Patel in this series.
- 4.5
OUT! Caught. Arshdeep Singh to Sediqullah Atal. Out-swinging half volley, outside off stump on the front foot cutting, mis-timed in the air uncontrolled to short third man, caught by Bumrah. Atal had been frustrated by the unexpected shots and eventually lost his wicket.
- 3.6
OUT! Run Out. Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran. Stock length ball, outside off stump on the front foot pulling, Played to deep mid wicket for 1 run, fielded by Kishan, by Singh. Miscommunication between the batters.
- 0.2
OUT! Caught. Jasprit Bumrah to Rahmanullah Gurbaz. In-swinging back of a length, wide outside off stump on the front foot Steer, outside edge in the air uncontrolled to short third man, caught by Sharma. Bumrah is back with a bang.