India Crush Afghanistan! Abhishek Sharma’s 82 Powers 7-Wicket Win in 1st T20I

India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in the first T20I in Delhi.

India have taken a 1–0 lead in the T20I series against Afghanistan after a dominant seven-wicket victory in the opening match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

Chasing 157, India made light work of the target, reaching 157/3 in just 13.4 overs. Abhishek Sharma produced the standout batting performance with a blistering 82, setting the tone for a one-sided chase.

Afghanistan had earlier recovered from a disastrous start to post 156/8, but India's batting attack proved too strong once the chase got underway.

Afghanistan Recover After Early Collapse

Afghanistan's innings looked in serious trouble after they slipped to 43 for 5 during the early stages. India's bowlers attacked with discipline and kept the Afghan batters under pressure.

Arshdeep Singh was India's leading wicket-taker with three wickets for 19 runs. Jasprit Bumrah, returning to the side, also struck, while Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy claimed one wicket each.

Just when Afghanistan appeared destined for a much lower total, Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi produced the crucial recovery. The pair added 83 runs from 56 balls, giving Afghanistan a competitive platform.

Omarzai remained unbeaten on 64 from 44 balls, while Nabi contributed 33 from 27 balls as Afghanistan finished on 156/8.

Abhishek Sharma Turns the Chase Into a Rout

India's reply was almost the complete opposite of Afghanistan's innings. After an early wicket, Abhishek Sharma took control and attacked the Afghanistan bowling from the outset.

Sharma smashed 82 and reached his half-century from only 22 balls, continuing his reputation as one of India's most destructive T20I batters.

His aggressive innings put India firmly ahead of the required rate and removed any real pressure from the chase.

Bumrah Returns as India Start Series on Top

Jasprit Bumrah's return was another major talking point for India. He finished with one wicket for 26 runs from his four overs as India kept Afghanistan under pressure throughout the first innings.

With Arshdeep leading the attack and India's batting producing a ruthless chase, Shreyas Iyer's side now head into the second T20I with a 1–0 advantage.

What Comes Next?

The second T20I will be played on September 15 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Afghanistan will need a strong response to level the three-match series, while India will have the opportunity to move 2–0 ahead.