India secured the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan after defeating the visitors by seven wickets in the second T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on September 15, 2026. Afghanistan posted 159/8 in 20 overs, but India chased down the target of 160 in just 14.5 overs, finishing on 163/3. With the victory, India moved to an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the final match scheduled for September 17.
After being asked to bat, Afghanistan struggled to build sustained momentum during the middle overs. Captain Ibrahim Zadran top-scored with 37 runs, while Darwish Rasooli contributed 26.Afghanistan received late contributions from Rashid Khan, who made 28 off 16 balls, and Mohammad Nabi, who scored 20. Their efforts helped Afghanistan reach 159/8 after 20 overs. For India, Nitish Kumar Reddy was the standout bowler with 3/24, while Arshdeep Singh claimed two wickets. Jasprit Bumrah, Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel also picked up one wicket each.
India’s response was dominated by Sanju Samson, who produced a spectacular 57 off just 22 balls. His aggressive innings included boundaries that quickly changed the momentum of the chase.Samson was well supported by Abhishek Sharma, who scored 39 from 19 balls. The pair put together an 88-run opening partnership, giving India a strong platform during the powerplay. After the early partnership was broken, Ishan Kishan scored 38, while Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 15. Ishan hit the winning boundary in the 15th over as India reached 163/3.
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan remained a major threat with the ball despite India’s comfortable victory. He finished with 3/36 from 3.5 overs, accounting for three Indian wickets. However, Afghanistan’s total proved insufficient as India’s batting attack maintained a high scoring rate throughout the chase.
The second T20I victory means India have already secured the series at 2-0, with the third and final match to be played on September 17. The result also gives India an opportunity to test other players and combinations in the final game.
The second match highlighted India’s contributions with both bat and ball, with Nitish Kumar Reddy’s three-wicket haul followed by rapid knocks from Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma.The final T20I will now provide Afghanistan with an opportunity to finish the series with a win, while India will look to complete the series with a clean sweep.