2nd T20I: Can Afghanistan bounce back against ruthless India?
What's the story
After a one-sided series opener, Afghanistan and India will lock horns in the 2nd T20I at the same venue, New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium. The Shreyas Iyer-led Team India, dubbed the away side, leads the three-match series 1-0. They chased down 157 in just 13.4 overs, with Abhishek Sharma leading the charge. Afghanistan, looking to bounce back, still eye their maiden T20I win against India.
Match analysis
How the opener panned out
Asked to bat, Afghanistan lost Rahmanullah Gurbaz on the second ball. Jasprit Bumrah was on the money on his T20I return.
Although Sediqullah Atal and Ibrahim Zadran added 32 runs, Afghanistan slumped to 43/5 in 7 overs.
An 83-run stand between Azmatullah Omarzai (64*) and Mohammad Nabi (33), as well as some death-over fireworks, powered Afghanistan to a challenging 156/8.
After Sanju Samson's early departure, it was all straightforward. Abhishek (82) and Ishan Kishan (42) made the chase seamless.
Bowling
How India's bowlers fared
India's bowling attack proved too much for Afghanistan in the first T20I.
Bumrah (1/26) and Arshdeep Singh (3/19) went full throttle, while spinners Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy took a wicket each.
Afghanistan's batters will have to find a way to counter Bumrah's new-ball exploits to succeed in the series.
Notably, India also used Nitish Kumar Reddy and Abhishek Sharma in the bowling attack.
Possible changes
What to expect from 2nd T20I?
Despite their win, India may consider making some changes to their lineup, especially in the top order.
Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Sanju Samson are all in contention for the opening spots after a successful first match.
It remains to be seen if the young Sooryavanshi replaces Samson, who fell for 10 (8).
Meanwhile, Afghanistan will be fretting over pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who missed the opener despite being fit.
Details
Pitch report, conditions, and streaming details
Expect another run-fest if India bat first in the 2nd T20I. The pitch is likely to be batting-friendly, with shorter boundaries further helping the plight.
It will be a pleasant evening in Delhi, with no chance of rain during the match.
The match will be telecast live on the Sony Sports Network and streamed online on the FanCode app and website (7:30pm IST).
Lineups
A look at likely XIs
Afghanistan (Probable XI): Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
India (Probable XI): Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Varun Chakravarthy.
Record
Afghanistan's wait continues!
Afghanistan's wait continues as they are yet to beat India in an international game, as per Cricinfo.
In T20Is, India have won each of their nine concluded affairs against the Afghan side. One of their victories came in an historic double Super Over in 2024.
Notably, India whitewashed Afghanistan 3-0 in an ODI series earlier this year.
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