New Delhi: With their middle order mounting a late recovery before India’s bowlers regained control at the death, Afghanistan overcame a testing start but could manage to post only a modest 159/8 in the second T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.
Jasprit Bumrah set the tone immediately after the start, opening with a maiden over against Ibrahim Zadran. Arshdeep Singh then struck in his first over, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a second successive duck in the series. Gurbaz attempted to flat-bat a short-of-length delivery but top-edged it to Ravi Bishnoi at mid-on, leaving Afghanistan at 2/1.
Zadran initially struggled for fluency but found his rhythm in the third over, taking four boundaries off Arshdeep. He and Sediqullah Atal subsequently put together Afghanistan’s best passage of the powerplay, although India’s disciplined bowling kept the scoring rate in check.
Zadran and Atal added 50 for the second wicket before the partnership was broken in the eighth over. Nitish Kumar Reddy, introduced into the attack, struck with his first delivery as Zadran holed out to Bishnoi at deep mid-wicket for a 33-ball 37, which included six fours.
The breakthrough triggered a mini-collapse. Atal departed for 12 in the following over, slicing Bishnoi’s googly to Tilak Varma at long-off, while Nitish returned to remove Gulbadin Naib for 10 in the 11th over. Afghanistan slipped to 67/3 before Darwish Rasooli and Azmatullah Omarzai attempted to rebuild.
Rasooli provided much-needed acceleration, launching Shivam Dube for a six and striking another maximum off Axar Patel. Omarzai also chipped in with two fours, but Axar eventually got the key wicket of the all-rounder for 11, with Tilak completing the catch.
Rasooli followed shortly afterwards for a brisk 26 off 15 balls, caught near the boundary by Tilak off Arshdeep. Afghanistan were 105/6 at that stage and appeared headed for a modest total.
However, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan changed the momentum with an aggressive 48-run partnership. Nabi struck Bumrah for a four in the 19th over, while Rashid attacked Arshdeep in the previous over, collecting two fours and a six to take 16 from it.
Bumrah eventually ended Nabi’s resistance for 20 off 14, caught by Shreyas Iyer at cover. Nitish then produced the decisive blow, removing Rashid off the first ball of the final over for 28 off 16. Axar took a superb diving catch at deep square leg.
Afghanistan nevertheless finished strongly. Mujeeb Ur Rahman collected four runs from the final over before Noor Ahmad provided the flourish, launching Nitish over mid-wicket for six off the last delivery.
Nitish was India’s standout bowler with 3/24, while Arshdeep claimed 2/35. Bumrah finished with 1/25 from his four overs, and Afghanistan ended their innings on 159/8.
Brief scores:
Afghanistan 159/8 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 37, Rashid Khan 28; Nitish Kumar Reddy 3-18, Arshdeep Singh 2-35) against India
(IANS)
