Sanju Samson scored 57 runs off 22 balls as India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets to clinch their three-match T20 series with one match remaining on September 15, 2026. Samson's innings included four sixes and seven fours, marking his first half-century since the T20 World Cup final earlier this year, where he was named player of the tournament.
His opening partner, Abhishek Sharma, contributed 39 runs off 19 balls, including four sixes, as the pair added 88 runs in just 38 balls. India finished their innings at 163-3 in 14.5 overs, having also won the first T20 by seven wickets at the same venue on September 12, 2026.
Afghanistan hosted the series under a unique arrangement and struggled again, finishing with a score of 159-8 in their innings after India won the toss and chose to field. All-rounder Nitish Reddy took 3 wickets for 24 runs in three overs.
India's aggressive start saw them reach 82-0 during the powerplay. Afghanistan employed spin bowling during this phase, but it proved ineffective. Rashid Khan took the first wicket in the seventh over, dismissing Sharma, and later claimed Samson's wicket as well. Despite these setbacks, India reached 100 runs in just 7.1 overs, marking one of their fastest starts in T20 history.
Ishan Kishan scored 38 not out, and Tilak Varma added 15 not out to complete the chase comfortably. Earlier, Afghanistan struggled at the start of their innings, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz dismissed for a duck by Arshdeep Singh. Captain Ibrahim Zadran managed 37 runs off 33 balls, but Afghanistan lost momentum, falling from 59-2 to 100-6. A late partnership of 48 runs off 28 balls between Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi helped Afghanistan reach a total of 159. Khan scored 28 runs off 16 balls, while Nabi added 20 runs off 14 balls.