New Delhi, Sep 13 (PTI) India overcame Afghanistan with clinical ease, defeating them by seven wickets as Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 82 powered the Shreyas Iyer-led side to a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series here on Sunday.
Chasing a modest 157, India romped home in just 13.4 overs, with Sharma smashing a 32-ball 82, studded with seven boundaries and as many sixes.
The left-hander tore into the Afghan attack, while Arshdeep Singh’s incisive 3/19 and an impressive all-round bowling effort had earlier kept the visitors to a below-par 156-8.
Sharma found an able ally in Ishan Kishan, who scored 42 off 33 balls, as the duo put on 121 runs for the second wicket after opener Sanju Samson departed for 10.
Shreyas Iyer (8 not out) and Tilak Varma (3 not out) completed the formalities.
Earlier, Afghanistan were in deep trouble at 43 for five in the seventh over before Azmatullah Omarzai’s counter-attacking unbeaten 64 off 44 balls revived their innings and took them to a respectable total.
Brief scores: Afghanistan 156 for 8 in 20 overs (Azmatullah Omarzai 64, Mohammad Nabi 33; Jasprit Bumrah 1/26, Arshdeep Singh 3/19, Axar Patel 1/27, Varun Chakravarthy 1/16).
India 157 for 3 in 13.4 overs (Abhishek Sharma 82, Ishan Kishan 42, Mohammad Nabi 2/28). PTI AM AM ATK
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