Image Credit- Getty
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube both scored brilliant
half-centuries to lead India to a six-wicket victory against Afghanistan in the
second Twenty20 International in Indore, giving them a commanding 2-0 lead in
the three-match series. Additionally, this victory brought India’s home T20I
series record against all opponents to 15. They haven’t lost a home Twenty20
international series since Australia defeated them 2-0 in 2019.
Afghanistan rode on Gulbadin Naib’s 57 off 35 balls
after being sent in, before India put the brakes on. However, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
and Karim Janat’s late attack—which saw them score a combined 41 off 19—boosted
the visitors to 172.
During the chase, Fazalhaq Farooqi bowled Rohit Sharma
for a first-ball duck. In the opening Twenty20 International, Rohit was run out
on the second ball and went out without scoring either. In his first Twenty20
International since the 2022 T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli too tried to strike
early. With 29 off 16, he was far more successful than his skipper.
Jaiswal and Dube, nevertheless, were the game’s
highlights. The Afghanistan bowlers appeared to be incidental as the two
appeared to be in competition with one another. Dube took just 22 balls to
complete his fifty, while Jaiswal took just 27 as both players attempted to get
every ball to the boundary. As a result, India chased down their goal in just
15.4 overs.
Afghanistan got off to a fast start thanks to
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who struck the first legitimate ball of the first over for
a four and the first of the second over for a six. However, he was out of luck
as he was defeated by Ravi Bishnoi for 14 off nine.
Naib made sure Afghanistan maintained its momentum.
After hitting two fours in a row off Mukesh Kumar, he ended the over with a
six-four four off Bishnoi.
When Najibullah Zadran got trapped in Bishnoi, he was
on 6 off 15. He smacked the legspinner for two sixes and a four in the
seventeenth over. After he left, Janat and Mujeeb assumed his place and in the
penultimate over of the innings, they hammered Dube for twenty runs.
Afghanistan scored 55 in the last four overs, even though Arshdeep Singh gave
up just eight in the last over, which included four wickets (two via run-outs).
Playing in his 150th Twenty20 International, Rohit
Sharma’s early departure was less down to bad luck. He turned to face his first
ball and tried to drag Farooqi to the leg side. Farooqi hit the top of the off
stump after he missed.
After missing the first game due to personal matters,
Kohli opened his account by hitting Mujeeb with more cover. He stroked a
similar delivery to the deep midwicket boundary in the same over. He struck
five fours in 16 balls overall. The fans was dismayed when he was caught at
mid-off off Naveen-ul-Haq, but perhaps this was the exact strategy the team
management had him employ.
India’s pursuit of Farooqi had begun after Jaiswal had
cut him to the point boundary. He struck a straight six in the seamer’s
subsequent over, then offered a chance for a return. After failing to hold onto
it, Farooqi watched as the next ball sailed over deep square leg for an
additional six points. Mujeeb was dealt a hat-trick of fours by Jaiswal in the
fifth over, demonstrating his equally brutal style.
Dube was slow to get underway. At first, he was
outpacing Jaiswal, but he was on a run-a-ball 7. He began by throwing Noor
Ahmad into the air and then clobbered Mohammad Nabi for three straight sixes.
India’s needed rate dropped to 5.70 after ten overs.
Jaiswal and Dube added 92 in just seven overs. By the
time Jaiswal was out for 68 off 34, India needed only 19 off 45 balls. Jitesh
Sharma fell for a second-ball duck before Dube, 63 not out off 32, and Rinku
Singh took India over the line.