IND vs AFG 2024, 2nd T20I: Who won yesterday’s India vs Afghanistan match?
India beat Afghanistan by six wickets in yesterday’s T20I game at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. With the impressive win, the Men in Blue took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. They had earlier beaten Afghanistan by the same margin in Mohali.
The hosts won the toss and decided to bowl first for the second straight game. On a batting beauty, their bowlers did a good job to restrict Afghanistan to 172 all out, with Axar Patel startting with 2-17, while Arshdeep Singh claimed 3-32. In their chase, India romped home in 15.4 overs, with Yashasvi Jaiswal (68 off 34) and Shivam Dube (63* off 32) scoring whirlwind half-centuries.
For the second straight game, the Men in Blue lost captain Rohit Sharma for a duck. The Indian captain attempted a premeditated slog off Fazalhaq Farooqi but ended up getting bowled first ball. Jaiswal and Virat Kohli (29 off 16) added 57 runs for the second wicket at an impressive pace.
Kohli, playing his first T20I since the 2022 World Cup semifinal against England, looked in ominous touch. He, however, could not convert his start and miscued an attempted big hit off Naveen-ul-Haq to be caught at mid-off.
Jaiswal and Dube joined forces and featured in a highly entertaining third-wicket stand of 92, with Jaiswal racing to his fifty off only 27 deliveries. At the other end, Dube carried on from where he left off in the first game. He went after Mohammad Nabi in the tenth over, clobbering the veteran spinner for three consecutive sixes.
The blazing stand ended when Jaiswal was caught behind off Karim Janat. In the same over, Jitesh Sharma also perished for a duck, but Dube and Rinku Singh (9*) ensured a comfortable win for Team India.
Axar Patel strangles Afghanistan
Bowling first, India struck early, with leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi having the dangerous Rahmanullah Gurbaz (14) caught at mid-on.
Axar then knocked over Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran (8) with a brute that beat the batter all ends up. The visitors were 60-3 when Azmatullah Omarzai (2) was bowled by a slower delivery from Dube.
Gulbadin Naib played a good hand for Afghanistan to give some direction to the innings.
He struck 57 off 35 with the aid of five fours and four sixes. Handy contributions from Najibullah Zadran (23 off 21), Karim Janat (20 off 10) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (21 off 9) ensured Afghanistan finished with a fighting total.
Who was Player of the Match in yesterday’s India vs Afghanistan T20I?
Axar was brilliant with the ball again, claiming two wickets while giving away only 17 runs. Arshdeep also impressed with 3-32. In the chase, Dube and Jaiswal scored terrific half-centuries.
For Afghanistan, Gulbadin scored a fighting half-century, while Karim Janat chipped in with runs and wickets. Axar, though, was named the Player of the Match for his defining spell on a batting paradise.