India beat Afghanistan by 7 wickets (with 38 balls remaining) – T20 Internationals Match Report
India won by 7 wickets (with 38 balls remaining) in the 141st match of 179 in the T20 Internationals at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Abhishek Sharma delivered a masterclass with an unbeaten 82 off just 32 balls – 7 fours and 7 sixes at a strike rate of 256 – to dismantle Afghanistan‘s modest total of 156/8 and seal a crushing victory that underlined India’s dominance in the format.
Afghanistan’s Innings – Omarzai Fights Back
India won the toss and elected to bowl, and the decision paid immediate dividends. Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell for a duck at 5/1 in the second over, and Ibrahim Zadran was run out for 11 at 38/2 in the fourth. Sediqullah Atal (13 off 13) and Gulbadin Naib (2 off 6) offered little resistance as Afghanistan slumped to 41/4 by the fifth over.
Arshdeep Singh was the standout bowler, claiming 3/19 from 4 overs at an economy of 4.75, while Varun Chakaravarthy took 1/16 from 4 and Axar Patel chipped in with 1/27 from 4. Jasprit Bumrah added 1/26 from 4 overs as India’s bowling attack suffocated the opposition.
Afghanistan’s recovery hinged on Azmatullah Omarzai, who struck an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls (4 fours, 4 sixes) at a strike rate of 145 to lift the total to respectability. Mohammad Nabi contributed 33 off 27 (2 fours, 2 sixes) before being clean bowled, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman smashed 9 off 3 (2 fours) in the final over to push Afghanistan to 156/8. Yet it proved insufficient against India’s firepower.
India’s Chase – Sharma Takes Centre Stage
Sanju Samson fell early for 10 at 18/1 in the third over, but Abhishek Sharma took the game away from Afghanistan with a display of controlled aggression. He raced to 82 off just 32 balls – 7 fours and 7 sixes – at a strike rate of 256, dismantling Afghanistan’s bowling attack with clinical precision. Ishan Kishan provided able support with 42 off 33 (5 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 127, adding 121 runs for the second wicket with Sharma before falling at 152/3 in the 13th over.
Shreyas Iyer (8 not out off 5) and Tilak Varma (3 not out off 4) saw India home with 38 balls to spare. Mohammad Nabi took 2/28 from 3 overs with the ball, while Azmatullah Omarzai claimed 1/14 from 1 over. Afghanistan’s bowling lacked the precision needed to contain Sharma’s onslaught.
Statz MVP: Abhishek Sharma (Statz Rating: 129.7)
Abhishek Sharma earns the Statz MVP award with a rating of 129.7. His 82 off 32 balls – struck at a remarkable strike rate of 256 – was the decisive blow in India’s chase. Sharma’s aggressive intent from ball one set the tone, and his seven sixes showcased the range of his shot-making. The performance was clinical and match-defining.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Abhishek Sharma (IND) – Statz Rating: 129.7 – 82 off 32 (SR 256, 7 fours, 7 sixes). Explosive batting display that settled the contest in India’s favour.
- Mohammad Nabi (AFG) – Statz Rating: 101.7 – 33 off 27 (SR 122, 2 fours, 2 sixes) plus 2/28 from 3 overs. Solid all-round contribution in a losing effort.
- Azmatullah Omarzai (AFG) – Statz Rating: 93.59 – 64 not out off 44 (SR 145, 4 fours, 4 sixes) plus 1/14 from 1 over. Afghanistan’s lone bright spot with the bat.
- Arshdeep Singh (IND) – Statz Rating: 92.15 – 3/19 from 4 overs at economy 4.75. Miserly and incisive bowling that set India’s tone early.
- Varun Chakaravarthy (IND) – Statz Rating: 51.83 – 1/16 from 4 overs at economy 4.0. Economical spell that restricted Afghanistan’s middle order.
Turning Point
The match turned decisively in the second over of India’s chase when Abhishek Sharma took guard. After Sanju Samson fell early, Sharma’s aggressive intent from the outset – striking at 256 – meant Afghanistan’s bowlers were constantly on the back foot. By the time he was caught at 139/2 in the 11th over, India needed just 18 runs from 51 balls with 8 wickets in hand. The contest was effectively over.
Match Context
This was the 141st match of 179 in the T20 Internationals. India (ranked 1st with a rating of 268) extended their dominance in the format with a commanding performance, while Afghanistan (ranked 10th with a rating of 220) will reflect on a disappointing batting display. See the full scorecard and head-to-head record on Statz, or explore the bet builder for this fixture. For more on the venue, visit Arun Jaitley Stadium.
