HIGHLIGHTS Afghanistan vs India, India in Afghanistan 3 T20I Series 2026, 2nd T20- Result, Scorecard

Welcome back for the chase. Ibrahim Zadran leads his troops out onto the park. It will be the left-hand, right-hand combination of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson to open the innings for India. A change in approach from Afghanistan tonight, as they are starting with spin in the form of Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Samson to face the first ball. There is a slip in place. Off we go..

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Looking ahead - A different wicket is being used tonight, and we saw the Indian spinners getting the ball to grip and turn, even if only ever so slightly. So, it may not be quite as straightforward for India to chase this down as it was the other night. But if they make it look easy, then kudos to them. Afghanistan will be on the hunt for early wickets to set the tone in defence of the total and put India on the back foot. Given the depth India possess, Afghanistan will need to strike at regular intervals and not allow partnerships to develop. It should be an interesting chase, so stick around.

Rashid and Nabi provide the late lift - The script repeated itself right from the toss, with Shreyas Iyer opting to bowl first. Gurbaz once again fell without troubling the scorers, and that was followed by a period where Atal and Ibrahim Zadran got a partnership going. But, just as was the case the other night, both fell in quick succession at a time when Afghanistan were looking to pick up the pace. Darwish Rasooli's promising stay was also cut short as the Afghans lost 5 wickets for 49 runs through the middle phase. But they got a late lift by an enterprising 28-ball, 48-run stand between Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, which played a big part in Afghanistan getting close to 160.

Afghanistan finish on 159 - 54 runs came off the last 5 overs, allowing the Afghans to finish with a competitive total. Will it be enough? Only time will tell. Shreyas Iyer had spoken about not picking up enough wickets through the middle phase in the opening game as an area to work on, and while India did that tonight, it was at the death where they leaked runs.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Noor Ahmad, SIX! Noor dents Reddy's figures a bit as Afghanistan finish at 159/8! On a back of a length, angled into the batter with pace taken off. Noor uses the depth of the crease and swings it cleanly behind the deep mid-wicket fence for half a dozen runs to finish it off. 11 runs in the last over. And Nitish's figures read 3/24 in 3 overs.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Attacks the leg stump, and slows the pace, 103 kph. Mujeeb Ur Rahman swipes the full ball to deep backward square leg for a single. This has been an exceptional final over from Nitish. Can he finish off well?

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Slower short ball, on top of middle and leg. Mujeeb Ur Rahman swats it to the left of Ishan Kishan at deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Noor Ahmad, 150 up for Afghanistan! Reddy digs it in short, on middle. Noor backs away and drags the pull to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Slower length-delivery, on the leg stump. Mujeeb backs away and steers it to the cover region for a single.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is in at number 9.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Rashid Khan, OUT! SPECTACULAR CATCH! Axar with a stunner and that's number three for Nitish. A slower delivery, full and outside off, and Rashid looks to hoick it away over the leg side. He can't middle it, and Axar, sprinting to his left from deep square leg, dives full-length to complete a smart catch. Good deception from Reddy, and remarkably, he has now struck with the first ball of each of his three overs today. India have been tidy in the field tonight. Afghanistan are 148/8, five balls left.

Time for the final over. Shivam Dube was entrusted with the 20th over the other night and went for 21 runs. Going by the way he has bowled tonight, it looks like Nitish Kumar Reddy will get the nod this time around. Yep, it is going to be Reddy.

Jasprit Bumrah to Noor Ahmad, WOW! Some heat on that one! Delivers a well-executed yorker, just outside off, Noor swings his blade hard to carve it out but his bat comes down after the ball has sneaked through. Bumrah ends with frugal figures of 4-1-25-1.

The new batter is Noor Ahmad.

Jasprit Bumrah to Mohammad Nabi, OUT! CAUGHT BY THE CAPTAIN! Bumrah has the last laugh. He spears in a full-length delivery, around the off stump. Nabi stays leg side of the ball and tries to clear extra cover, but fails to get underneath the ball properly and ends up slicing it towards Shreyas Iyer. The captain at cover takes a straightforward catch to end Nabi's knock. Afghanistan are 148/7, with 7 legal balls left in the first innings.

Jasprit Bumrah to Mohammad Nabi, Smell that leather, mate! Well-directed bouncer from Bumrah, angling on the leg stump. Mohammad Nabi shapes up to play the pull shot, but the excessive pace and bounce beats him all ends up.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan, So casually played by Rashid. Bumrah cannons in a yorker on middle and leg. Khan whips it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Mohammad Nabi, Slightly back of a length, at pace, 142 kph. Nabi waits deep inside the crease and smacks it to the left of long off for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Mohammad Nabi, FOUR! Hammered away! Bumrah bowls it outside off, full in length, and takes all the pace off. Mohammad Nabi waits for this off-cutter to arrive, maintains his shape and lofts it over extra cover. One bounce and it goes into the fence.

Jasprit Bumrah to bowl the penultimate over. So it will be either Nitish Kumar Reddy or Shivam Dube for the final over.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, SIX! PUNISHED! Juicy half-volley offered by Arshdeep, on off and middle. Rashid Khan comes dancing down the track and lofts it powerfully over deep extra cover for a six. He has made that shot look so easy. A massive over for the Afghans as 16 runs come off it.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, FOUR! Expertly played! These are precious runs for Afghanistan. Arshdeep switches back to around the stump and misses his yorker again. It is the full toss speared in, and Rashid walks forward, takes it on the full before hammering it to the deep cover region. Beats the sweeper to his left for a boundary.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, Trying to be adventurous there! Rashid shows his cards early by shuffling to the off side and, seeing that, Singh digs in a slower bouncer outside off. Rashid Khan looks to swing it over short fine leg, but the lack of pace does him in and he is beaten.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, FOUR! Cleverly done! Angles in from outside off, on a length. Rashid stays put, opens the bat face deliberately at the point of contact and manages to pierce the narrow gap between short third and backward point for a boundary.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, Oh, dear! That's a nasty delivery. Short and it absolutely cramps Rashid for room as the ball angles into the bodyline. He gets no time to sway away from the firing line. Takes his eyes off the ball by dropping his wrists, and the ball hits the handle of the bat before deflecting onto the helmet grill.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, Around the stump, full toss on middle. Rashid Khan, with a cheeky little flick off the wrists, whips it to the left of deep backward square leg for a couple of runs.

Arshdeep Singh (3-0-19-2) switches ends.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan, Pinpoint yorker from Bumrah, at the base of the middle stump. Rashid jams his bat down in time and opens the face to guide it behind for a single at deep third. 10 runs from Bumrah's third over.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan, FOUR! Thunderous shot! Back of a length, hammered hard into the pitch, outside off. Rashid jumps out of the crease, stays leg side and flays it over backward point for a cracking boundary.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan, Attempted yorker, on off, Khan clears the front leg to make room and smears it to the right of deep point for a couple of runs. Excellent running and coordination between these two.

Jasprit Bumrah to Mohammad Nabi, Seemingly a slower delivery, on a length, outside off. Mohammad Nabi is a touch early into his pull shot and mistimes it to the left of deep square leg for a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Mohammad Nabi, Very full on the stumps, Nabi uses his bottom hand to carve it away, but hits it straight to mid off.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan, Lasers it full and on middle, 136 kph. Khan strokes it to the cover fielder. Shreyas sees Nabi out of the crease at the bowling end, and has a shy at that end, but misses the stumps. The ball rolls towards the leg side and this allows the batters to collect a run eventually.

Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan, WIDE! Digs in a slower bouncer, at 117 kph. It lands and keeps coming into the batter, but it is a bit too high, and Khan sways out of the line to leave.

Jasprit Bumrah comes back on. 2-0-9-0 so far for Bumrah.

Ravi Bishnoi to Mohammad Nabi, Quicker now, at 102 kph, full outside off, Nabi looks to access the off side by again backing away but ends up chopping it to the point region. 11 runs from the over. 1/32 in 4 overs for Bishnoi tonight.

Ravi Bishnoi to Mohammad Nabi, At 98 kph, short outside off, Nabi cuts it off the back foot to backward point.

Ravi Bishnoi to Mohammad Nabi, SIX! Put away. Dropped short, and it is the googly on the leg stump. It arrives at a good height towards Nabi and he simply rocks back to pummel it over deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Ravi Bishnoi to Mohammad Nabi, FOUR! Streaky. Much-needed one for Afghanistan, no matter how they come. Very full and outside off, Mohammad Nabi shuffles to the leg side to make room and reaches out to carve it through the off side, but gets a fat outside edge and the ball shoots to the deep third fence.

Ravi Bishnoi to Rashid Khan, Pitched fuller at 100 kph, on off, Khan drives it with a straight bat face to long off for a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Rashid Khan, Full, quick, outside off, Rashid leans to drive to the covers, but the ball gets squeezed off the inside edge and rolls past to the leg side. Oh, that was a googly.

Last 5 overs to go. Afghanistan are in a precarious position right now. They will have to get at least 160-170 on the board to put up a strong fight with the ball. Ravi Bishnoi returns to bowl out. 1/21 in 3 overs so far.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, Dug in short, across off. Rashid drags the pull without much timing in front of square on the leg side for a single.

Arshdeep Singh to Mohammad Nabi, Full and across off, Nabi forces the drive wide of mid off, where Tilak Varma moves to his left and slides to cut it off. Just a single.

Arshdeep Singh to Mohammad Nabi, Buzzers! Bowled on a nagging length, on off. Nabi taps it wide of extra cover and hurries to the other end. Shreyas Iyer has a shy at the batting end but misses. That allows the batters to sneak in one more run on the overthrow.

Arshdeep Singh to Mohammad Nabi, On off, on a good length. Nabi punches it to cover.

Arshdeep Singh to Rashid Khan, Around off, on a good length. Rashid pushes at the ball. Gets it off the outer half down to deep third for one.

Out goes Rasooli, and in walks Rashid Khan at number 8.

Arshdeep Singh to Darwish Rasooli, OUT! CAUGHT! Arshdeep Singh strikes on his return to the attack. Darwish Rasooli's promising stay has been cut short. Angled in at the off stump from around the wicket, on a length. Rasooli tries to get under the ball to go back over the bowler's head. He gets it right off the toe end of the blade. Tilak Varma runs to his right from long off, and Axar Patel also converges from long on. Varma gets to the ball and takes the catch to his right by stretching his hands out.

Despite the wicket, 11 runs from that over. 24 runs from the last couple of overs for Afghanistan. Arshdeep Singh (2-0-14-1) is brought back into the attack, replacing Shivam Dube.

Axar Patel to Darwish Rasooli, Good hustle between the wickets. Short and wide on off, Rasooli stands tall and powers it away past extra cover. Nitish Kumar Reddy is quick across the turf to his right at deep cover and he dives to push the ball away from the fence. He gets back up on his feet and tidies up. Three runs taken and with that, the 100 is up for Afghanistan.

Axar Patel to Darwish Rasooli, Shorter and quicker, on off and middle. Rasooli taps it to cover.

Axar Patel to Mohammad Nabi, On a length, on off. Nabi lunges across and eases it wide of cover for a single.

Half of the Afghan side is into the dressing room now. And this is a massive wicket for India, given how destructive Omarzai can be with the bat. Mohammad Nabi is the new batter in at number 7.

Axar Patel to Azmatullah Omarzai, OUT! CAUGHT! Tilak Varma makes no mistake. Axar Patel finally gets his man. This is slowed down, a bit of air given, fuller and on middle and leg. Omarzai clears the front leg and has a swing at it but he does so early. There is a bit of grip and turn and the ball catches the toe end of the blade. As a result, Azmat only gets the height and not the distance. It is skied a long way up towards long on, where Tilak Varma settles under the skier and takes the catch close to his chest.

Axar Patel to Darwish Rasooli, Flatter and sliding on with the arm, on middle and leg. Darwish presses back to whip it away. Gets it off the inner half in front of square on the leg side. They think about the second run but Axar hunts it down himself and keeps it down to a single.

Axar Patel to Darwish Rasooli, SIX! Hammered! Another over started with a maximum by Darwish Rasooli. Flighted up, on middle, a bit too full. Rasooli puts his head down and presses forward to thump it over long on for a six.

Shivam Dube to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR! Straight as an arrow! Dube shifts his line closer to the off stump, on a length, it is the slower one. Omarzai swings through the line as he slams it back over the bowler's head. Neither long off nor long on stands a chance.

Shivam Dube to Darwish Rasooli, Stays away from the batter's arc, on a back of a length. Darwish spanks it wide of extra cover and sets off for a quick single. The extra cover fielder moves to his left but cannot pick the ball up cleanly, allowing the batters to get home easily.

Shivam Dube to Darwish Rasooli, Takes pace off, keeping it near the tramline, on the shorter side. Rasooli tries to cash in on the width but mistimes the shot to extra cover.

Shivam Dube to Azmatullah Omarzai, On off, on a short of a length. Azmat swats it on the bounce to deep mid-wicket, where Axar Patel collects it on the bounce. Just a single.

Shivam Dube to Darwish Rasooli, Keeping it away from the batter's arc, on a back of a length. Darwish slaps it to deep point and gets to the other end.

Shivam Dube to Darwish Rasooli, SIX! Sent into the crowd! Dube goes into the deck but this sits up to be hit at waist height, on off. Rasooli stands tall and unleashes the pull in front of square on the leg side. That has gone back many a mile.

Iyer turns towards his sixth bowling option now. Here's Shivam Dube into the attack. He replaces Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Axar Patel to Darwish Rasooli, Shorter and on middle. Darwish whips it to deep mid-wicket and takes a single.

Axar Patel to Azmatullah Omarzai, DROPPED! Azmatullah Omarzai gets a reprieve. The length is pushed up now, on off. Omarzai makes room to open up the off side but ends up hitting it a lot straighter down towards long off. Ravi Bishnoi comes charging in off the ropes and slides but the ball hits him high on the palm and drops to the ground. A single taken. How costly will this prove to be?

Axar Patel to Azmatullah Omarzai, This stops a bit in the surface, on a nagging length, on middle, Omarzai tries to deal with it off the back foot but then checks his shot as he plays it back to Axar.

Axar Patel to Azmatullah Omarzai, Tossed up, on middle. Omarzai makes room and crunches it straight to cover.

Axar Patel to Darwish Rasooli, Fractionally short, on off. Rasooli makes room and cuts it to deep point. They cross.

Axar Patel to Darwish Rasooli, A bit of grip and turn. Short and on off, bowled slower through the air. Rasooli hops back to punch it down the deck. Axar Patel dives to his left to make the stop.

Axar Patel (2-0-14-0) replaces Ravi Bishnoi.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, In the channel, on a good length at 129 kph, Azmat punches it well but picks out the cover fielder.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Darwish Rasooli, Angled in, on middle, on a back of a length. Rasooli tucks it in front of deep mid-wicket and rotates the strike.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, On off, on a short of a length, that is punched off the back foot to long on for a single.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, FOUR! A shot of high quality. This is on a hard length, on off. Omarzai rises on his toes and rides the bounce. Presents a straight bat and with a high elbow, he punches it between cover and mid off. The mid off fielder gives chase but the ball skips across the turf and hugs the fence.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Azmatullah Omarzai, Reddy digs it in short, outside off. Azmat flashes at the ball but is beaten for pace.

51/1 has turned into 67/4 for Afghanistan. They are losing wickets one after another and once again look to Azmatullah Omarzai to bail them out, who is in at number 6.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Gulbadin Naib, OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! A well-judged catch by Sanju Samson. Nitish Kumar Reddy strikes with the first ball of the over for the second time in the game. Seam-up ball, skidding through, on a back of a length, on middle. Naib takes the risk of going across the line and pays the price. He clears the front leg and has a swipe at the ball. It is skied a long way up off a top edge. Sanju Samson calls for it and moves forward to settle under the swirling ball. He puts in a dive at the last moment to take the catch safely.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to continue. 1/7 in 1 over so far.

Ravi Bishnoi to Gulbadin Naib, At 91 kph, now, on the pads. Naib steers the length ball to deep square leg for a single. At the halfway stage of the first innings, Afghanistan are 67/3.

Ravi Bishnoi to Gulbadin Naib, Short on middle, at 101 kph. Gulbadin Naib uses the depth of the crease and whips it into the mid-wicket region. The fielder tears in from the ropes and by the time he throws it to the keeper, the batters scamper back for the second run.

Ravi Bishnoi to Darwish Rasooli, Drags the length back, does Ravi, on off. Rasooli rocks back and punches it to the left of long on for a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Darwish Rasooli, FOUR! Off the mark in an edgy way! On a lower trajectory, quicker through the air. Short and outside off. Darwish Rasooli rocks back to cut it away, but gets an underedge and the ball rifles through short third for a boundary.

With the fall of Sediqullah Atal, the umpires have called for a DRINKS BREAK. The script from the first game is repeating itself for Afghanistan, with Atal and Ibrahim Zadran once again following each other back to the hut. With two set batters now back in the hut, it is back to rebuild mode for the Afghans. India have been disciplined with the ball so far and will be hoping to maintain control over the proceedings and not allow partnerships to develop. Darwish Rasooli joins Gulbadin Naib out in the middle.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sediqullah Atal, OUT! STRAIGHT TO TILAK! Bishnoi has his arms aloft as he gets his first wicket. A googly now, and it is a length ball around the middle stump line. Atal goes back and tries to power it over the long off boundary, but gets it off the splice and doesn't time it well. Tilak, stationed at long off, settles underneath it and pouches the catch comfortably. A very scratchy knock from Atal, and Afghanistan have been reduced from 51/1 to 59/3.

Ravi Bishnoi to Gulbadin Naib, Nervy single! The googly on a shorter length. Naib hangs back and knocks it to the cover region for a single, but they have to really hurry. The fielder moves quickly to his left, and Iyer releases a flat throw to the bowling end, but it looks like Naib has made it through. However, the umpires want to have a second look at it. The side-on replay shows that Naib's bat is grounded at the last minute when the bowler breaks the stumps.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Gulbadin Naib, On off on a length, Naib uses his wrists to steer it through mid-wicket for an easy single. 7 runs and a wicket from Reddy's first. India have managed to pull things back in the last few overs here.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Sediqullah Atal, On top of off, on a good length, Atal dinks it wide of mid-wicket with soft hands and they dash through for a quick run.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Gulbadin Naib, Nagging length, outside off, Naib steers it off the back foot to deep point for a single.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Gulbadin Naib, FOUR! Naib is off the mark! Short by Nitish, but at a gentle pace which gives Naib enough time to set up a good base before pulling it up and between deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Gulbadin Naib, Back of a length, around the off pole. Naib rides the bounce and taps it out to the off side.

Gulbadin Naib walks out to the middle.

Nitish Kumar Reddy to Ibrahim Zadran, OUT! TAKEN! Nitish strikes first ball. Didn't have the best of evenings in the first game, but he breaks the 51-run stand. On a good length and around the middle stump. Zadran goes for the flick on the leg side, but doesn't get enough timing behind it. Bishnoi, camped at deep mid-wicket, holds on to the catch. He's not one to spill those. It looked for a moment like he had taken a wrong first step and overran the ball, but he adjusted well enough to settle under it and complete the catch above his right shoulder. Ibrahim cannot convert his start, and Afghanistan are 51/2.

Nitish Kumar Reddy comes into the attack, replacing Axar Patel.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, Brings the stumps to play on a fuller length, Ibrahim Zadran drills it to long on for an easy single. Much better over from Bishnoi this time. Just 5 runs from it. 10 runs from the last 2 overs for Afghanistan.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, Straight and short, outside off, Ibrahim lets it be.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sediqullah Atal, Very full now, on the stumps, Atal whips it to deep mid-wicket for a single. This brings up the 50-run partnership between Atal and Ibrahim. Good recovery by these two.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sediqullah Atal, Serves it full but it is pitched outside leg, Atal sweeps it but finds the fielder at short fine leg.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, Flat and full, on off, Zadran stays leg side and hammers it to long off for a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, Dropped fuller and on middle and off, Ibrahim Zadran goes low on his knee again and sweeps it off the inner half between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg for a couple of runs.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, Outside off, on a good length, Zadran gets on the front foot and drives it wide of the cover fielder for a single.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, Swing and a miss! Beautifully bowled. Axar cleverly slows it through the air, full and outside off, and it goes straight on with the arm. Ibrahim Zadran sits down on his knee and looks to slog it over the leg side, but the ball dips below his bat to beat his inside edge.

Axar Patel to Sediqullah Atal, Quicker now, short on leg, Atal hangs back and runs it through mid on for a single.

Axar Patel to Sediqullah Atal, Flighted delivery, full but down leg, Sediqullah Atal sits across to sweep but the ball deflects off his front pad and rolls to the right of the keeper.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, In line of the stumps, short in length. Zadran makes room and strokes it down to long on for another single.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, Stays a bit low, on middle and on a length, Zadran hangs back and heaves it wide of deep square leg for a couple of runs.

In the opening game, Afghanistan were 41/4 at the end of the Powerplay, so this is a better start compared to the other night. However, they will need to pick up the pace through the middle overs and make sure they build on this platform.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sediqullah Atal, Dishes out the googly, smidge short and across the batter. Sediqullah Atal goes deep inside the crease and punches it tentatively to cover. Afghanistan end their Powerplay with 41/1 on the board.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sediqullah Atal, Darted in on a shorter length, outside off, Sediqullah Atal shanks it on the bounce to mid off.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, Onto the pads, sliding down from a length. Ibrahim has a swipe across the line but misses and the ball runs off the thigh pad to the right of short fine leg. They get a leg bye.

Ravi Bishnoi to Sediqullah Atal, A touch short, on the leg stump, Atal hangs back and knocks it down to long on for a run.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, Drifting on the pads, on a length, Ibrahim heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, WIDE! Slides down the leg side, short in length. Ibrahim leaves and Samson dives low to his left to collect it sharply.

Ravi Bishnoi to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR! Runs continue to flow for the Afghans! Bishnoi starts with a length ball, on off. Ibrahim Zadran backs away and flays it over cover-point for a cracking boundary.

Afghanistan have scored 31 runs in the last 3 overs. There's a clear attempt to break free now. Ravi Bishnoi has been introduced into the attack and will wrap up the Powerplay. He replaces Arshdeep Singh.

Axar Patel to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR! Streaky! Pushed through with a flatter trajectory, on middle. Atal attempts the pull but the ball is not all that short and it skids through to catch the underedge. It races past the short fine fielder for a four.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, Tossed up, on middle. Zadran knocks it down to long off and turns the strike over.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, Spears it in, fuller and on off. Zadran charges down the track and tries to whip it away but ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and the ball goes nowhere.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, How did that miss the stumps? A bit of grip and turn for Axar, on a good length, on middle. Zadran has a heave across the line but it spins away a touch to beat the bat. The bounce takes it over the middle stump.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR! Good manipulation of the field. Floated up, on off and middle. Zadran knows that square leg and fine leg are up inside the circle. Zadran walks inside the line and sinks to a knee to sweep it to the left of the short fine leg fielder for a boundary.

Axar Patel to Ibrahim Zadran, Darts the ball in on a good length, on the off stump. Ibrahim taps it to cover.

First look at spin. Here's Axar Patel, who replaces Jasprit Bumrah.

Arshdeep Singh to Sediqullah Atal, On a length, on off. Atal firms the drive all along the ground but straight to mid off.

Arshdeep Singh to Sediqullah Atal, FOUR! Easy pickings! Turning out to be an expensive over from Arshdeep, 13 runs off the over so far. Too straight by Singh, on the pads. Atal lets the ball come on and tickles it fine of the short fine leg fielder to pick up a boundary.

Arshdeep Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, Does not carry! Keeps it near the tramline, on a back of a length. Zadran tries to repeat the dose but ends up hitting it square of the wicket this time. Hits it flat towards deep point, where Nitish Kumar Reddy realises that the ball is not going to carry to him and he opts to save the boundary. He collects the ball on a bounce. Just a single.

Arshdeep Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR! Up and over! Arshdeep bowls the slower one and pushes it wider on off, on a short of a length. Zadran does not move his feet at all but reaches out with his hands, spanking it over cover for a boundary. After a slow start, Zadran is picking up the pace here.

Arshdeep Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR! Nicely done. This is on the pads, on a nagging length. Zadran stays balanced at the crease and picks it up over short square leg. Not quite from the middle but the ball has enough legs to reach the fence, beating the chase of Ishan Kishan.

Arshdeep Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, Floats it up, full and on off, it is the slower one. Zadran mistimes the drive to mid off.

Change? Nope. Arshdeep Singh to continue. 1/1 in his only over so far.

Jasprit Bumrah to Sediqullah Atal, A ball of high quality by Bumrah. Rolls his fingers over the ball, bowled on a good length, landing outside the line of the leg stump and going across the left-hander. Atal presents a straight bat but is squared up and is beaten past the outside edge.

Jasprit Bumrah to Sediqullah Atal, Spears in a yorker at the base of the off stump. Atal watchfully keeps it out by getting his bat down quickly.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, Bowls the off-cutter, on a length, around off. Zadran looks to slam it back over the bowler's head. Miscues it off the inner half behind square leg as the ball skips across the turf. Ravi Bishnoi is quick to his left from deep fine leg and tumbles away to mop it up. He also gets rid of the ball quickly, keeping the batters down to a single.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, Tailing on the leg stump, full now, Zadran strokes it down to mid on.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR! Finds the gap! A bit of a sloppy effort from Dube there. Short of a length, sliding in on the leg stump line. Zadran stands tall and heaves it off the inner half of the bat. Gets it through mid-wicket and mid on and it is Dube from the latter position who gives it a chase, but makes a meal of it in the end. He slides to stop the ball, but ends up parrying it to the ropes instead.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, FOUR! Just wide enough! Back of a length, angling onto the pads. Ibrahim Zadran whips it uppishly and to the right of Dube at mid on for a boundary.

Arshdeep Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, Zadran is finally off the mark. On a length, around leg. Ibrahim swats it behind square leg and is off the mark on the 8th ball with a single.

Arshdeep Singh to Ibrahim Zadran, A swing and a miss! Going away, on a good length. Zadran puts his head down and has a heave across the line but the ball leaves him to whistle past the blade.

Arshdeep Singh to Sediqullah Atal, Angled in at the hips, Atal fails to make any connection on the glance. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the thigh pad towards deep fine leg. Afghanistan finally open their account on the 10th ball.

Gurbaz is yet to get off the mark in this series. A two-ball duck in the first match, followed by a bronze duck now. He frustratingly trudges off. Sediqullah Atal is in at number 3 with Afghanistan still searching for their first run.

Arshdeep Singh to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Rahmanullah Gurbaz tries to break free but perishes. A second successive duck in the series for Gurbaz. Arshdeep takes pace off and goes into the wicket, outside off. Rahmanullah backs away and has an ungainly swipe across the line. He does not pick the change of pace and ends up spooning it tamely to mid on with him also losing hold of his bat. Ravi Bishnoi takes a sitter at mid on.

Arshdeep Singh to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, This is pushed across the right-hander, on the fuller side, Gurbaz thinks about going after it but then leaves it alone. The ball sneaks well inside the tramline.

Arshdeep Singh to Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Oh, Gurbaz makes his intentions clear straight away. It does not come off, though. Shaping back into the right-hander, on a good length, on middle. Gurbaz dances down the track and has a big swing at it. Gets an inside edge and it dribbles to the left of the keeper.

On an excellent batting track, Bumrah starts off on the money - with a maiden. Arshdeep Singh will share the attack from the other end.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, Bumrah finishes just as well! How rare is this? A maiden in the first over of a T20 game. Slips it in very full, on off. Zadran gets low and jams the bat down on the ball. Half a shout for a catch by Bumrah but he knew that it was a bump ball.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, Five dots in a row! So far, so good from Bumrah. Delivers it on a good length, on off and middle. Zadran taps it back to the bowler with a straight bat.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, So nearly took the off stump. Bumrah hurls the inswinger, very full, just outside the off stump. Zadran is late to get his bat down as he tries to squeeze it out. He is beaten on the inside edge. Sanju Samson dives to his left and collects it neatly.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, Hits the hard length, angled in on off. Ibrahim is rushed as he pushes it hurriedly to cover. Three dots to start with.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, Goes wide on the crease, does Bumrah and the length is dragged back as well. In and around the off pole. Zadran stands tall and stabs it down the deck with a straight bat.

Jasprit Bumrah to Ibrahim Zadran, Goes past the bat straight away! Bumrah serves a seam-up ball on a good length, moving away in the air, near the tramline. Zadran goes chasing after the ball and is beaten past the outside edge.

Righto, it's game time in New Delhi. The Indian team is huddled up near the ropes. Now, they spread out to take their positions. The bell has been rung by Mithun Manhas, the current BCCI President, to mark the commencement of the match. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are the two Afghan openers who walk to the crease. Jasprit Bumrah has the new ball, and there is a slip in place, with Ibrahim taking the strike this time. Here we go...

Afghanistan's star all-rounder - Azmatullah Omarzai is up for a quick chat with the broadcaster. He says losing early wickets put them under pressure in the previous game. He and Mohammad Nabi then spoke about hanging in there, batting deep and staying till the end to provide the finish, but admits they did not finish well in the last 2-3 overs. Omarzai says they have done their homework ahead of the game about the right areas to bowl and will look to improve on that front. On Afghanistan's record of never having beaten India, Omarzai says they will try to change that tonight and give it 100 per cent. He adds that the focus will be on their processes and executing them well.

Unpacking the toss - Bowling first was the obvious call after winning the toss. India have brought in Ravi Bishnoi for an injured Varun Chakaravarthy, who looked in great rhythm in the opener. Sooryavanshi still has to wait for another game as Samson is given another go. For Afghanistan, it is slightly surprising that Naveen-ul-Haq still hasn't made it to the XI despite the noise around his absence.

PITCH REPORT - Murali Kartik is pitchside with his assessment. He mentions that winning the toss and chasing is the right call, and informs that surface number 4 will be used for this match, on which he details that the average first-inning score is 180. So he reckons that the team batting first should post at least more than 200, in this case, Afghanistan, to give themselves a good chance. Closely observes the surface and mentions it is pretty dry. Sanjay Manjrekar joins him and adds that it looks a bit damp, and it seems very similar to the surface that was used in the previous game. Kartik is quick to add that it is a bit drier as he runs his hands on the pitch with a few visible lines running across it. Sanjay agrees there's dampness in play, pointing to the spike marks. Still, he calls it a good surface overall, adding that the boundaries are shorter, with a couple of strips having been shifted for this game. India, he says, will be pleased with how the toss played out. For Afghanistan, the job now is simple, to get to a total tonight that actually gives them a game to fight for.

India (Playing XI) - Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi (In for Varun Chakaravarthy), Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh.

Afghanistan (Unchanged XI) - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran (C), Sediqullah Atal, Gulbadin Naib, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.

The skipper of Afghanistan - Ibrahim Zadran says that they would have bowled first as well. Mentions the focus will now be on executing better with the bat this time around. Zadran says the talk has been about playing positive cricket. He admits they did not get off to a good start the other day, but feels they did well to recover in the middle overs. Informs that they are unchanged for this clash.

The captain of India - Shreyas Iyer says calling Tails at the toss has been lucky for him, irrespective of the result of the game. When he is asked whether bowling first carries a natural edge in the T20 format, Iyer breaks down the thinking behind it. Iyer explains that fielding first gives a side an early read on how the surface is behaving, and from there it's on the bowlers to adjust quickly once they have read the pace of the wicket. Get that read right, he adds, and it tips the balance in the fielding side's favour. Shreyas Iyer reflects on the previous game and is quick to point out that the margin of victory didn't quite tell the full story, and there was a stretch where the contest looked far tighter than the final numbers suggest. Iyer credits Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi for that, pointing to their crucial partnership as the reason the game briefly opened up. Turning to his own bowling unit, he flags the 10 to 15 over phase as an area to tighten up, feeling a few more wickets could have come in that middle stretch. On the changes, he informs that Varun Chakaravarthy has a side strain, so Ravi Bishnoi comes in his place.

TOSS - The coin is about to go up. Ibrahim Zadran and Shreyas Iyer are present in the middle. 'Tails' is the call from Iyer, and he gets it right. India opt to BOWL first.

Tuesday treat - It indeed is, with the amount of cricketing action lined up today. Over in Harare, Australia and Zimbabwe are in action in the first ODI, with the Chevrons facing an uphill battle in a chase of 295. Today also marks the start of the T20I series between England and Sri Lanka, with the first of 3 games scheduled to take place tonight in Southampton. The first ball is due at 5.30 pm GMT (11 pm IST), so there is plenty of cricket to keep us company through the day.

Need more with the bat - Afghanistan will be looking for a much better showing on the batting front. On a surface as good as the one we saw the other night, 156 was never going to be enough. Bumrah, Arshdeep and Axar combined for 5/72 from their 12 overs in the opening game, so the Afghans will know there is a stern challenge ahead against India's more established bowling options. But if they can take down any one of these 3, it could cause a headache for Iyer, with him already having to work around the absence of Hardik Pandya and now Varun Chakaravarthy as well.

Bowling puzzle - India were pretty tidy with the ball for most of the opener, but they have a couple of things to think about. With Hardik Pandya not around, they already had a gap to fill in the 5th bowling option, and with Varun Chakaravarthy also ruled out for the rest of the series after experiencing discomfort in his side during that opening game, they have another spot to fill. That could increase the role of the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shivam Dube, while either Ravi Bishnoi or Washington Sundar could come in to replace Chakaravarthy. So, it will be interesting to see how Shreyas Iyer goes about managing his bowling resources.

Time for Round 2 - Well, round one was pretty one-sided, wasn't it? Afghanistan had the odd punch or two, but for the most part, India were firmly in control and made light work of the chase to take the lead in the series. Ibrahim Zadran and his men have a chance to take the series to a decider and, in doing so, finally get that elusive first win over India in international cricket. On that note, hello and a very warm welcome to our coverage.

... MATCH DAY ...

Sealing the series or sparking a comeback - The Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi sets the stage once again as India and Afghanistan lock horns in the second match of the three-game T20 series. India enter Tuesday evening riding high on confidence after dismantling Afghanistan by seven wickets in the series opener, completing the chase with more than six overs to spare. For Shreyas Iyer and his side, victory here puts the series in the bag with a match remaining, reinforcing their white-ball rhythm before they head to Japan for the Asian Games. For Afghanistan, the designated hosts of this series despite playing on Indian turf, Tuesday is purely about survival. Falling 0-1 behind leaves them with no room for error, and they must quickly wipe away the memories of Sunday night to push the series into a deciding third fixture. The talent is undoubtedly there, but competing against a rampant Indian side requires a complete twenty-over performance rather than sporadic bursts of individual brilliance. The Abhishek hurricane - If there was one defining takeaway from the first game, it was the sheer destruction caused by Abhishek Sharma. Walking out to chase a modest 157, Abhishek made a mockery of the bowling attack by hammering 82 off just 32 deliveries, studded with seven boundaries and seven towering sixes. His ability to clear the infield with ease and take down world-class spin put the contest to bed inside the powerplay itself. Ishan Kishan played his part to perfection with an assured 42 off 33 balls, stitching together a 121-run partnership for the second wicket that completely shut the door on the opposition. Even though Sanju Samson fell cheaply for 10 after mistiming a pull, India's batting depth looked ominous. Middle-order batters like Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Shivam Dube barely broke a sweat in the middle, underlining the luxury of firepower at India's disposal. Top order tremors - Afghanistan's biggest headache heading into the second game remains their vulnerability at the top of the order. Sunday night was a harsh reminder of how quickly a contest can slip away when early wickets tumble. They slumped to 43 for 5 inside seven overs, partly through fiery Indian bowling and partly through self-inflicted wounds. Rahmanullah Gurbaz was removed on the second legal delivery of the match for a duck, while skipper Ibrahim Zadran was caught in a disastrous mix-up with Sediqullah Atal and run out for 11. It took a counter-attacking rescue effort from Azmatullah Omarzai and seasoned campaigner Mohammad Nabi to drag Afghanistan to a competitive 156 for 8. Omarzai was sublime, scoring an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls with four boundaries and four sixes, while Nabi provided crucial support with 33 off 27 deliveries in an 83-run stand. However, Afghanistan cannot afford to start from behind in every game. Their top-order batters must dig in during the opening overs to give their big hitters a solid platform. Pace punch and spin control - India's bowling department clicked seamlessly in the opening fixture. Jasprit Bumrah made an immediate statement on his return from an injury layoff, extracting sharp bounce to dismiss Gurbaz right away. Arshdeep Singh was the wrecker-in-chief, using his subtle variations and pinpoint yorkers to return exceptional figures of 3 for 19 in his four overs. Complementing the seamers, Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy kept a stranglehold through the middle overs, conceding under seven an over. On the other side, Afghanistan's bowling attack needs an urgent turnaround. Fazalhaq Farooqi leaked 38 runs in his two overs, while star spinner Rashid Khan endured a rare off day, conceding 34 runs in 3.4 overs without a breakthrough. Spin is traditionally Afghanistan's trump card, and if they are to level the series, Rashid, Noor Ahmad, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman must find a way to break partnerships and restrict India's aggressive strokeplay. Team form (Last 5 completed T20Is, recent first) - IND - WWWWL | AFG - LWWLL. What to expect at the Arun Jaitley Stadium? The surface in Delhi has transformed into one of the highest scoring tracks in recent times, offering true bounce and small square boundaries that encourage attacking cricket. While seamers will get a bit of early movement under the floodlights with the new ball, batters can play through the line with confidence once they get their eye in. Dew is also likely to play a role later in the evening, making grip difficult for the bowlers and turning chasing into the preferred tactic for both captains at the toss. India hold the momentum and will look to wrap up the series with another authoritative display. Afghanistan have shown time and again that they can punch above their weight, but they need their established stars to rise to the occasion. If Gurbaz and Rashid can deliver their trademark magic, fans in Delhi could be in for a much tighter battle.