India, Sept. 15 -- Sanju Samson, the Indian opening batter, was feeling the heat ahead of the second T20I against Afghanistan as the chorus was growing for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's inclusion in the playing XI after the right-hander failed to set the stage on fire in the series opener. However, the experienced campaigner parked the outside noise on the fringes and answered his critics in style on Tuesday, with a quickfire 57 off 22 balls with the help of seven fours and four sixes.

This knock of Samson eased the nerves, and India got into cruise control of the 160-run chase. The 31-year-old especially took a liking to the Afghanistan spinners, but eventually perished to the bowling of Rashid Khan while trying to look for a maximum.

This wa...