Samson, Abhishek star as India clinch T20 series with 2-0 lead

New Delhi: India produced another emphatic chase at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, defeating Afghanistan by seven wickets in the second T20I on Tuesday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing 160 after Afghanistan posted 159/8, India needed only 14.5 overs to cross the line, riding an explosive opening stand between Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma before Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma completed the job.

Samson provided the defining contribution at the top, smashing a 22-ball 57 in an innings that combined seven fours and four sixes. After a quiet opening couple of overs, the right-hander rapidly shifted gears, finding the boundary repeatedly against Afghanistan’s spinners.

Abhishek was equally aggressive, reaching 39 from 19 deliveries with two fours and four sixes. The pair raced to a 50-run partnership in only 28 balls and took India to 82 without loss at the end of the powerplay — the same score India had managed in the first six overs of the opening T20I. Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan was brought into the attack in the seventh over and immediately provided some relief. He ended the 93-run opening partnership by dismissing Abhishek, who miscued an attempted big hit to Sediqullah Atal at mid-wicket.

Rashid struck again, four balls later, ending Samson’s blistering stay when the opener lofted a delivery towards long-off, where Mohammad Nabi completed the catch. Despite losing both openers, India were already 99/2 after seven overs and firmly in control.

Brief scores:

Afghanistan 159/8 in 20 overs (Ibrahim Zadran 37, Rashid Khan 28; Arshdeep Singh 2/35, Nitish Kumar Reddy 3/24) lost to India 163/3 in 14.5 overs (Sanju Samson 57, Abhishek Sharma 39, Ishan Kishan 38 not out; Rashid Khan 3/36) by 7 wickets.

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