New Delhi, September 13 (Daily Kiran) : India showcased a commanding performance against Afghanistan, winning the first T20 match by seven wickets at Arun Jaitley Stadium on September 13, 2026. This victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the next two games scheduled for September 15 and 17 at the same venue.
Batting first after losing the toss, Afghanistan managed to score 156 runs while losing eight wickets. They faced an early setback, losing opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck with just five runs on the board. Following this, Sediqullah Atal (13) and captain Ibrahim Zadran (11) formed a brief partnership, adding 32 runs for the second wicket. However, the Afghan innings fell apart shortly thereafter.
At one point, Afghanistan found themselves struggling at 43 runs for five wickets. It was then that Azmatullah Omarzai stepped up, forming a crucial sixth-wicket partnership with Mohammad Nabi, adding 83 runs off 56 balls to lift the team’s total to 126. Nabi scored 33 runs from 27 balls, hitting four boundaries before departing.
Omarzai continued to anchor the innings, eventually scoring 64 runs off 44 balls, which included four fours and four sixes. He found support from Mujeeb Ur Rahman, with whom he added 25 runs for the ninth wicket off just nine balls. India’s Arshdeep Singh was the standout bowler, taking three wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy each claimed one wicket.
In response, India chased down the target in just 13.4 overs. Sanju Samson partnered with Abhishek Sharma for an opening stand of 18 runs, but Samson was dismissed for 10 runs off eight balls.
Ishan Kishan then joined Abhishek Sharma, and the duo formed a formidable partnership, scoring 121 runs for the second wicket in just 53 balls. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive innings of 82 runs off 32 balls included seven sixes and as many fours.
Captain Shreyas Iyer, who remained unbeaten on 8, added 13 runs with Kishan before the latter was dismissed for 42 runs off 33 balls. The innings concluded with Tilak Varma, who remained not out on 3, helping steer India to a comfortable victory. Mohammad Nabi was the top wicket-taker for Afghanistan with two wickets, while Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with one.
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