New Delhi, Sept. 13 -- Arshdeep Singh led India's disciplined bowling effort before Abhishek Sharma produced a blistering 82 as the hosts defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in the opening T20I at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Sunday, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Arshdeep finished with 3 for 19, sending down 16 dot balls from his 24 deliveries as Afghanistan were restricted to 156 for 8. Jasprit Bumrah also bowled a tight spell, returning 1 for 26 from four overs with 16 dot balls, while Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel picked up a wicket each.
Afghanistan were in trouble at 43 for 5 after 10 overs, with their top order unable to handle India's pace and spin. Ibrahim Zadran made 13 and Sediqullah Atal 11 before a mix-up ended the Afghan skipper's stay. Arshdeep then dismissed Atal, while Axar accounted for Gulbadin Naib and Varun breached Darwish Rasooli's defence.
Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammed Nabi revived the innings with an 83-run sixth-wicket partnership. Omarzai remained unbeaten on 64 off 44 balls, while Nabi made 33 off 27. Arshdeep returned for his second spell to bowl Nabi after the all-rounder had struck him for a six. Rashid Khan struggled for 10 balls before falling for one, but Omarzai hit Shivam Dube for two sixes in a 21-run final over to take Afghanistan beyond 150.
India's chase was far more straightforward. After Sanju Samson fell for 10, Abhishek and Ishan Kishan added 121 for the second wicket. Kishan made 42 off 33 balls, while Abhishek raced to his 12th T20I fifty in 22 balls.
Abhishek, who had failed to cross 20 in his previous six games, smashed seven sixes and seven boundaries in his 32-ball innings. He was dismissed with India needing only 17 runs, which were completed in 13.4 overs.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.