Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan Power India to Win Over Afghanistan in 1st T20I 2026
Abhishek Sharma's blistering rapid-fire fifty and Ishan Kishan's crucial 42 runs led India to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan in the first T20I of their 2026 series.
India kicked off their Afghanistan vs India in India 2026 T20I series with a dominant performance, securing a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the first T20I held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The chase of 157 runs proved to be a walk in the park for the Men in Blue, largely thanks to an explosive opening partnership that set a new record. Vande Mataram Played Before Start of India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I 2026.
India Win By 7 Wickets
A convincing 7️⃣-wicket win in the series opener 💙
Positive start for #TeamIndia in the Friendship Cup 👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/Wacwj3tM4l#AFGvIND pic.twitter.com/jNer7opNyN
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 13, 2026
Afghanistan's Innings Struggles and Omarzai's Resilience
Electing to bowl first after winning the toss, India's bowlers wasted no time making an impact. Jasprit Bumrah provided the perfect start, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the opening over. Afghanistan struggled to build momentum, reeling at 43/5 inside seven overs as the Indian spinners tightened their grip.
However, Azmatullah Omarzai launched a spectacular counterattack, forming a vital 83-run partnership with veteran Mohammad Nabi. Omarzai reached a fighting half-century, remaining unbeaten with a valiant 64 runs off just 44 balls. Mohammad Nabi also contributed with the ball, picking up 2 wickets for 28 runs in his three overs. Arshdeep Singh's clever spell at the death, where he secured a three-wicket haul, helped put the brakes on Afghanistan's charge, restricting them to 156/8 in their allotted 20 overs.
India's Blistering Chase
In response, India's chase was characterized by sheer aggression from the outset. Openers Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan unleashed a brutal assault on the Afghan bowlers, dominating the powerplay and putting India firmly in the driver’s seat. Abhishek Sharma blazed his way to a rapid-fire fifty, setting the tone for the chase. Ishan Kishan provided excellent support with a useful cameo, scoring 42 runs off just 33 deliveries, including 5 fours and 1 six. Their partnership of 121 runs off just 53 balls was the highest ever against Afghanistan in T20Is at a blistering rate of 13.70 runs per over. Shreyas Iyer Presents Signed India Jersey to Ibrahim Zadran Ahead of IND vs AFG 1st T20I 2026.
Though India lost Sanju Samson early, and later Kishan and Sharma, the foundation laid by the top 3 meant the target was well within reach. Shreyas Iyer (8 off 5) and Tilak Varma (3 off 4) saw India comfortably home, chasing down the target in just 13.4 overs with seven wickets to spare.
This dominant performance sets a strong tone for India in the three-match T20I series, showcasing their batting firepower and bowling depth against a resilient Afghanistan side.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 13, 2026 10:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
