India Aims for Series Victory Against Afghanistan in Second T20I

As India prepares for the second T20I against Afghanistan, the team faces challenges with the absence of Hardik Pandya and the search for a reliable fifth bowler. After a dominant win in the first match, captain Shreyas Iyer aims to solidify the lineup ahead of the Asian Games. Key players like Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan are in form, but concerns linger over Sanju Samson's performance. Afghanistan, struggling in their last encounter, must improve their batting to level the series. Will India continue their winning streak, or can Afghanistan bounce back? Read on for more insights.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 14, 2026, 23:59 IST

India's Bowling Concerns Ahead of Second T20I

As India prepares to face Afghanistan in the second T20I on Tuesday, the absence of Hardik Pandya due to injury raises concerns about the team's fifth bowling option. Despite this, the World Cup champions are looking to secure another victory after their impressive seven-wicket win in the first match.

In their recent encounter, India showcased their dominance, with standout performances from pacer Arshdeep Singh and opening batsman Abhishek Sharma. Arshdeep's exceptional bowling figures of 3 for 19 played a crucial role in limiting Afghanistan to 156 runs, while Abhishek's explosive 82 off just 32 balls helped India chase down the target in a mere 13.4 overs.

Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy also made successful comebacks from injuries, but the challenge of finding a reliable fifth bowler remains a priority for captain Shreyas Iyer as the Asian Games approach.

Iyer faced difficulties in filling the fifth bowler's role, with Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy failing to make an impact. Dube's first over cost 21 runs, while Reddy conceded 30 runs in his two overs. Together, the trio allowed 59 runs in just four overs.

With the specialist bowlers like Arshdeep, Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Chakravarthy performing well, India was largely unchallenged. However, Iyer is keen on solidifying the bowling lineup ahead of the Asian Games.

On the batting front, Abhishek's explosive innings dispelled any doubts about his form, while Ishan Kishan, recovering from a minor back injury, contributed a solid 42 runs off 33 balls. However, opener Sanju Samson's struggles continued as he managed only 10 runs, raising concerns about his consistency.

Samson, who was instrumental in India's T20 World Cup victory, has had a rocky performance lately, scoring just 33 runs in his last four innings. With young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi pushing for a spot, Samson needs to quickly regain his form to secure his place in the lineup for the Asian Games.

Despite these minor issues, India is functioning like a well-oiled machine, and Afghanistan will need to devise better strategies to compete. In the first match, Afghanistan struggled with their batting and bowling, failing to apply pressure on India.

The early loss of key players Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Azmatullah Omarzai left Afghanistan reeling, as they lost half their team for just 43 runs by the seventh over. Although a partnership between Mohammad Nabi and Omarzai provided some hope, Afghanistan requires stronger performances to level the series.

Afghan captain Ibrahim Zadran acknowledged the team's shortcomings, stating, "We had a good start for three overs, but then we lost wickets too quickly, which put us under pressure. We performed decently in the middle overs, but we didn't score as many runs as we needed."

Team Lineups

India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi.

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Darwish Rasooli, Noor ul Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Nangeliya Kharote, Abdollah Amhedzai, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmed.