India completed a clean sweep of the three‑match T20 International series against Afghanistan on Thursday, winning the final fixture by 127 runs at New Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. The decisive performance came from opening batsman Abhishek Sharma, whose 100 runs off just 30 deliveries earned him the Player of the Match award and set the platform for a total of 221 for seven.
Match overview and key moments
The toss was won by Afghanistan, who elected to bowl first. On‑field umpires Ahmad Shah Durrani and Ahmad Shah Pakhteen, third umpire Izatullah Safi, reserve umpire Mahmood Kharoti and match referee Dean Cosker oversaw the game.
India’s innings began aggressively. Sharma smashed a 16‑ball half‑century, reaching fifty in just 16 balls while striking eight fours and seven sixes. He continued his on‑fire display, adding another fifty to reach a century in 30 balls, hitting nine fours and ten towering sixes. His strike rate of 345.45 made the opening partnership a record‑setting powerplay display. Sanju Samson contributed a steady 50, while Shreyas Iyer, the captain, anchored the middle overs. By the end of the 20th over, India were 221 for seven, having accelerated to 191 for four after 16 overs before Afghanistan’s bowlers tightened the run flow in the final overs.
Afghanistan’s bowlers, led by captain Ibrahim Zadran, managed to restrict India to just two boundaries in the last 24 balls. Despite the late surge in run rate, the Indian side crossed the 220‑run threshold, a target that proved beyond Afghanistan’s reach.
In response, Afghanistan’s chase collapsed dramatically. The opening partnership was dismantled early, with Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah taking wickets inside the Powerplay. By the end of the sixth over, Afghanistan were 51 for four, having lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Sediqullah Atal. The middle order offered brief resistance; Noor ul Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai added 23 runs together, but a decisive spell from Nitish Kumar Reddy in the 12th over produced three wickets in a single over, removing Mohammad Nabi, Omarzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman for a single run. The innings stalled at 94 for ten after 14.1 overs, handing India a comprehensive victory.
Series context and team news
The win marked India’s third consecutive victory in the series, completing a 3‑0 whitewash. The result also secured the series for India before the final match, allowing team management to experiment with squad selections ahead of the upcoming Asian Games.
Pre‑match discussions highlighted the potential debut of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was expected to feature in the final game. However, the focus remained on giving playing time to a broad set of squad members. Varun Chakravarthy, who missed the first two matches with a side strain, remained unavailable, prompting a reshuffle of the bowling attack. Ravi Bishnoi, who stepped in for the second match, continued to feature alongside the regular pace trio of Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah and the emerging all‑rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Afghanistan, despite a valiant effort in the earlier games, could not overcome the deficit. Their captain Ibrahim Zadran led from the front with the ball, while wicket‑keeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz contributed a quick 15 before falling to Sharma’s catch. The Afghan side also featured seasoned players such as Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi, but the collective bowling and fielding effort fell short of containing India’s explosive start.
Statistical highlights
Key statistics from the match include:
- India’s total: 221/7 in 20 overs.
- Abhishek Sharma’s innings: 108 runs off 30 balls, featuring 9 fours and 10 sixes.
- Afghanistan’s total: 94 all out in 14.1 overs.
- Top wicket‑takers for India: Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah each claimed early wickets; Nitish Kumar Reddy took three wickets in a single over.
- Afghanistan’s leading scorer: Noor ul Rahman, dismissed for 11.
- Player of the Match: Abhishek Sharma for his record‑breaking century.
The margin of 127 runs stands as one of the larger victories in a T20 International series decider, underscoring the dominance displayed by the Indian side throughout the series.
With the series concluded, India will now turn its attention to upcoming fixtures, including preparations for the Asian Games, while Afghanistan will look to regroup and address the shortcomings exposed by a potent Indian batting lineup.
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