Afghanistan’s batters have been struggling to build scores and the strong Indian bowling attack is backed to restrict them to a low score again in the 2nd T20I.
- Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran has scored 84 & 107 in his last 5 matches.
- Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai has scored 33, 24 & 63* in his last 5 innings.
- Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi has taken 4/17 & 2/28 in his last 3 innings.
- India’s Ishan Kishan has scored 39*, 270, 80 & 42 in his last 4 knocks.
- India’s Abhishek Sharma scored 82 in the 1st T20I against Afghanistan.
- India’s Arshdeep Singh has figures of 353, 2/59 & 3/19 in 5 innings.
India Clearly Dominant
India have won their last five T20Is against Afghanistan. One of those matches ended in a tie, but India took the win after two thrilling Super Overs.
Afghanistan Looking for Response
Afghanistan will be looking for a much stronger response after being comprehensively beaten by seven wickets in the opening T20I. Their 156-run total never looked sufficient once India’s top order settled, although Azmatullah Omarzai provided an encouraging performance with 64 from 44 balls. Mohammad Nabi also contributed 33 and later took 2/28, but Afghanistan struggled to sustain pressure with either bat or ball.
The top order will need to provide a stronger platform, with Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz particularly important. Zadran has scored 378 runs at an average of 54 in his recent T20 appearances, while Gurbaz has accumulated 305 runs across his last nine matches at a strike rate above 153.
Afghanistan also need greater impact from their attack. Omarzai and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have each taken 12 wickets across their last seven matches and will be central to any hopes of slowing India’s powerful batting lineup.
India Continue Dominating Form
India made an emphatic start to the series, cruising to a seven-wicket victory after restricting Afghanistan to 156. Despite losing an early wicket, Abhishek Sharma quickly took control of the chase, smashing 82 from only 32 deliveries at a strike rate above 250. Ishan Kishan provided excellent support with 42 from 33 balls as India reached their target in just 13.4 overs.
The hosts also impressed with the ball. Jasprit Bumrah struck in the opening over, while Arshdeep Singh was the standout performer with 3/19. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also contributed important breakthroughs.
India’s batting depth remains formidable. Kishan has scored 321 runs across his last 10 T20 matches, while captain Shreyas Iyer has racked up 316. runs at a strike rate of 150. Arshdeep continues to offer a major threat with the new ball and at the death, having collected nine wickets across his previous six appearances.
Team News & Predicted Lineups
India used a near full-strength side in the opener, with Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy all selected, while 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was left out despite calls for him to receive an opportunity. No specific injury concerns are highlighted in the supplied material for either side, so major changes appear more likely to come through rotation than enforced absences.
The Arun Jaitley Stadium should again favour batting, with a flat surface, quick outfield and short boundaries encouraging aggressive strokeplay. Spinners may become more influential through the middle overs. The average first-innings score is around 171, while chasing has generally proved easier, making bowling first the likely choice after winning the toss.
India (possible XI): Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun
Afghanistan (possible XI): Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmatullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Noor Ahmed, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen ul Haq.