--- title: "Abhishek Sharma’s 82 Powers India to 7-Wicket Win Over Afghanistan in 1st T20I" url: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/abhishek-sharma-s-82-powers-india-to-7-wicket-win-over-afghanistan-in-1st-t20i author: "Arpan Ghosh" author_url: https://whatsthescore.in/author/arpan-ghosh author_title: "Senior Cricket Analyst, Historian & Former Cricketer" publisher: "What's The Score" category: "Cricket" type: news published: 2026-09-14T12:58:00+05:30 updated: 2026-09-30T07:43:32+05:30 reading_time_minutes: 6 tags: ["Abhishek Sharma", "Afghanistan Cricket", "Afghanistan Tour of India 2026", "Arshdeep Singh", "Arun Jaitley Stadium", "Azmatullah Omarzai", "cricket news", "Delhi Cricket", "IND vs AFG", "India cricket", "India vs Afghanistan", "Ishan Kishan", "Jasprit Bumrah", "Mohammad Nabi", "Rashid Khan", "Shreyas Iyer", "T20I Cricket"] license: "Quotation with attribution and a link is permitted. Full reproduction is not." canonical: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/abhishek-sharma-s-82-powers-india-to-7-wicket-win-over-afghanistan-in-1st-t20i --- # Abhishek Sharma’s 82 Powers India to 7-Wicket Win Over Afghanistan in 1st T20I *Abhishek Sharma smashed 82 off 32 balls as India demolished Afghanistan by seven wickets in the first T20I in Delhi. Arshdeep Singh's 3/19 restricted Afghanistan to 156/8 before India raced to 157/3 in just 13.4 overs to take a 1-0 series lead.* By Arpan Ghosh · 14 September 2026 · 6 min read ## Key takeaways - India defeated Afghanistan by 7 wickets in the first T20I. - Afghanistan scored 156/8 in 20 overs. - India reached 157/3 in 13.4 overs, winning with 38 balls remaining. - Abhishek Sharma smashed 82 off 32 balls with seven fours and seven sixes. - He reached his fifty from only 22 balls. - Ishan Kishan scored 42 off 33 balls. - Abhishek and Kishan shared a 121-run second-wicket partnership. - Azmatullah Omarzai rescued Afghanistan with an unbeaten 64 off 44 balls. India began the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in commanding fashion, registering a **seven-wicket victory in the first T20I** at the **Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi**. Afghanistan, the designated home side for the series, were restricted to **156/8 in 20 overs** despite an excellent unbeaten 64 from **Azmatullah Omarzai**. India then made light work of the 157-run target as **Abhishek Sharma blasted 82 from only 32 deliveries**. Supported by Ishan Kishan's 42, India reached **157/3 in 13.4 overs** and won with 38 balls remaining. ## India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I 2026: Match Summary | Match Detail | Information | | --- | --- | | Series | Afghanistan vs India T20I Series 2026 | | Match | 1st T20I | | Date | September 13, 2026 | | Venue | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | | Afghanistan | 156/8 in 20 overs | | India | 157/3 in 13.4 overs | | Result | India won by 7 wickets | | Balls Remaining | 38 | | Top Scorer | Abhishek Sharma – 82 off 32 | | Best Bowler | Arshdeep Singh – 3/19 | | Series | India lead 1-0 | ## India Put Afghanistan Under Immediate Pressure India captain **Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bowl first**, a decision that quickly paid off. Returning fast bowler **Jasprit Bumrah** struck in the opening over, removing dangerous wicketkeeper-batter **Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck**. India continued to attack through pace and spin as Afghanistan's top order struggled to build partnerships. Sediqullah Atal made 13 and Ibrahim Zadran contributed 11, but neither was able to convert the start into a substantial innings. ## Afghanistan Collapse to 43/5 Afghanistan soon found themselves in serious trouble at **43/5 after seven overs**. Axar Patel removed Gulbadin Naib, while **Varun Chakaravarthy dismissed Darwish Rasooli**. India's bowlers controlled both the scoring rate and wickets during the early stages. At that stage, Afghanistan appeared in danger of being dismissed for a significantly lower total. ## Azmatullah Omarzai Leads Afghanistan Recovery The innings was rescued by **Azmatullah Omarzai**, who produced an excellent counter-attacking performance under pressure. Omarzai remained unbeaten on **64 from 44 balls**, providing Afghanistan with both stability and late acceleration. He found an important partner in veteran all-rounder **Mohammad Nabi**, who scored **33 from 27 deliveries**. Together, Omarzai and Nabi added a crucial **83-run partnership** that lifted Afghanistan from a dangerous position and pushed the total beyond 150. ## Azmatullah Omarzai's Unbeaten 64 Omarzai's innings was particularly impressive because of the circumstances in which he arrived at the crease. With wickets falling around him, he resisted India's spinners before beginning to attack the weaker fifth-bowling options. His unbeaten 64 ensured Afghanistan reached **156/8**, giving their bowling attack at least something competitive to defend. ## Arshdeep Singh Finishes With 3/19 India's standout bowler was **Arshdeep Singh**. The left-arm pacer returned outstanding figures of **3/19 from four overs**, including the important dismissal of Mohammad Nabi late in the innings. Arshdeep bowled 16 dot balls across his four-over spell and prevented Afghanistan from producing a bigger finish. | India Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Arshdeep Singh | 4 | 19 | 3 | | Varun Chakaravarthy | 4 | 16 | 1 | | Jasprit Bumrah | 4 | 26 | 1 | | Axar Patel | 4 | 27 | 1 | ## India's Spin Attack Finds Its Rhythm Another encouraging sign for India was the performance of **Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel**. Varun conceded just **16 runs from four overs** while taking one wicket, whereas Axar finished with **1/27**. Their control through the middle overs prevented Afghanistan from rebuilding quickly after the early wickets. ## Abhishek Sharma Takes Control of the Chase India lost **Sanju Samson for 10** early in the chase, but Afghanistan's hopes of creating pressure disappeared almost immediately. Abhishek Sharma launched an extraordinary counterattack, taking on both pace and spin from the start. The left-handed opener reached his half-century in only **22 deliveries** before accelerating further. He eventually scored **82 from just 32 balls**, hitting **seven fours and seven sixes**. ## Abhishek Sharma Dominates Rashid Khan and Afghanistan One of the most significant aspects of Abhishek's innings was his willingness to attack Afghanistan's premier spinner **Rashid Khan**. Instead of allowing Rashid to control the middle overs, Abhishek used his power and range to keep India well ahead of the required run rate. The aggressive approach ensured Afghanistan never managed to build sustained pressure during the chase. ## Ishan Kishan Provides the Perfect Support While Abhishek attacked relentlessly, **Ishan Kishan** provided an important supporting innings. Kishan scored **42 from 33 deliveries**, helping India consolidate after Samson's early departure. Abhishek and Kishan added **121 runs for the second wicket from just 53 balls**, effectively deciding the contest. | India Batter | Runs | Balls | | --- | --- | --- | | Abhishek Sharma | 82 | 32 | | Ishan Kishan | 42 | 33 | | Sanju Samson | 10 | 8 | ## Mohammad Nabi Takes Two Wickets Veteran Afghanistan all-rounder **Mohammad Nabi** provided two late breakthroughs, dismissing both Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Nabi finished with **2/28 from three overs**, but by then the result was largely beyond Afghanistan's reach. Azmatullah Omarzai claimed the other Indian wicket. ## India Complete Chase With 38 Balls Remaining Captain **Shreyas Iyer** and **Tilak Varma** applied the finishing touches as India reached the target in only **13.4 overs**. The seven-wicket win with **38 balls remaining** underlined the difference between the two sides on the night. ## Abhishek Sharma Sends Strong Message Ahead of Asian Games The innings was particularly important for Abhishek after an inconsistent period following India's ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph. His ability to dominate an experienced Afghanistan attack strengthens India's options at the top of the order ahead of upcoming assignments, including the **Asian Games 2026 in Japan**. ## Jasprit Bumrah Makes Successful Return Another major positive for India was the return of **Jasprit Bumrah**. Bumrah finished with **1/26 from four overs** and struck immediately by removing Gurbaz in the opening over. Having India's premier fast bowler back in action provides an important boost as the team builds toward a busy international schedule. ## One Area India Will Want to Improve Despite the dominant victory, India's fifth-bowler combination proved expensive. Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube combined to concede **59 runs from four overs**. Against stronger batting line-ups, India may need greater control from those overs, particularly during high-scoring T20 matches. ## India Take 1-0 Lead in Three-Match Series The victory gives India a **1-0 advantage in the three-match T20I series**. The second match will also be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on **September 15**, followed by the third T20I on **September 17**. ## Why India's Victory Matters The performance offered several encouraging signs for Shreyas Iyer's side. Arshdeep Singh delivered an outstanding new-ball and death-bowling performance, Bumrah returned successfully, the spin attack regained control, and Abhishek Sharma produced one of the most destructive innings of his T20I career. Afghanistan showed resilience through Omarzai and Nabi, but India's batting firepower ultimately made 156 look well below par on a good Delhi batting surface. With India taking a 1-0 series lead, Afghanistan now face a must-win challenge in the second T20I if they are to keep the three-match series alive. ## Frequently asked questions ### Who won India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I 2026? India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in Delhi. ### What was Afghanistan's score in the first T20I? Afghanistan made 156/8 from 20 overs. ### What was India's final score? India reached 157/3 in 13.4 overs, completing the chase with 38 balls remaining. ### How quickly did Abhishek Sharma reach his fifty? He reached his half-century from only 22 balls. ### When is the second India vs Afghanistan T20I? The second T20I is scheduled for September 15, 2026, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. ## Sources - [ESPNcricinfo - India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I Full Scorecard](https://www.cricinfo.com/series/afghanistan-in-india-2026-1549583/india-vs-afghanistan-1st-t20i-1549586/full-scorecard) - [Reuters - India Cruise Past Afghanistan as Abhishek Sharma Blitz Earns Series Lead](https://www.reuters.com/sports/cricket/india-cruise-past-afghanistan-sharma-blitz-earns-series-lead-2026-09-13/) - [Indian Express - Abhishek Sharma Powers India to Victory Over Afghanistan](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/abhishek-sharma-powers-india-to-victory-over-afghanistan-10876616/) - [Indian Express - How India Played Like Champions Again](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/india-vs-afghanistan-1st-t20i-abhishek-sharma-champions-new-delhi-10876668/) - [ICC - Delhi to Host India vs Afghanistan T20I Series](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/delhi-to-host-t20i-series-between-afghanistan-and-india) --- Originally published by What's The Score at https://whatsthescore.in/blog/abhishek-sharma-s-82-powers-india-to-7-wicket-win-over-afghanistan-in-1st-t20i