Abhishek Sharma roared back to form with a blistering 84 off 32 balls, while Arshdeep Singh's superb 3 for 19 helped India cruise to a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the opening T20I in Delhi on Sunday.
Sanju Samson smashed a quick 57 as India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
Following a disappointing performance against Afghanistan, Sanju Samson's inconsistent form has once again put his place in India's T20I squad under intense scrutiny.
Afghanistan restricted United Arab Emirates to 160 for nine in their T20 World Cup match, with Azmatullah Omarzai claiming four wickets and Sohaib Khan scoring a half-century for UAE.
India is set to face Afghanistan in the second T20I, aiming to clinch the series despite ongoing concerns about a reliable fifth bowling option in the absence of Hardik Pandya. The team delivered a dominant performance in the first match, securing a seven-wicket victory.
Azmatullah Omarzai delivered a match-winning all-round performance, taking four wickets and scoring an unbeaten 40, to lead Afghanistan to a five-wicket victory over UAE in the T20 World Cup.
Sanju Samson has been appointed Brand Ambassador of Jan Kaushal Kendra, Moti Nagar, with Delhi CM Rekha Gupta highlighting his connection with the capital and role inspiring youth.
India is grappling with significant selection dilemmas ahead of their opening T20I match against Afghanistan, particularly concerning the choice between Sanju Samson and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and the potential impact of Ishan Kishan's injury scare. The series also serves as crucial preparation for the Asian Games, with India needing to finalise their bowling attack against a strong Afghan side.
Ibrahim Zadran has been appointed captain of Afghanistan's T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against India, which will be played in New Delhi. The squad sees the return of fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq and all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, featuring a blend of experienced players like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, alongside uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Noor Rahman.
Sony Sports Network has secured exclusive television broadcast rights for the upcoming three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan, scheduled from September 13 to 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The series will feature India led by Shreyas Iyer and Afghanistan led by Ibrahim Zadran, with both teams showcasing aggressive T20 cricket. This acquisition strengthens Sony's sports portfolio and offers a platform for Afghanistan to demonstrate its talent against a top-tier team.
Ishan Kishan explained how he switches from long-format cricket to T20s within days, stressing quick adaptation, a calm mindset and understanding his role during partnerships with teammates.
India, having already secured the T20 series against Afghanistan, is likely to experiment with its playing XI in the third and final match in New Delhi. This provides an opportunity for players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and others on the bench to get game time before the Asian Games, while Afghanistan aims for an improved performance to boost morale.
Abhishek Sharma etched his name in cricket history by smashing the fastest T20 International hundred by an Indian, a blistering 30-ball century against Afghanistan before the hosts won the match by 127 runs to sweep the series.
Former India cricketer Vivek Razdan has shared his preferred batting lineup for India's first T20I against Afghanistan, advocating for Shreyas Iyer to retain his number four spot and Sanju Samson to open the innings. Razdan emphasized performance over the left-right batting combination, highlighting Samson's recent T20 form. The series opener will also see a selection dilemma with multiple openers available and marks Iyer's first home series as captain.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board hosted 'Koh-E-Zafar' in New Delhi to celebrate the strong cricketing friendship between India and Afghanistan.
Rashid Khan's exceptional bowling performance, taking 6 wickets for 34 runs, was instrumental in Afghanistan's 92-run victory over Ireland in the second ODI, giving them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Indian Pacer Prasidh Krishna took a career-best 5/23 to restrict Afghanistan to 218 in the third ODI, despite a valiant maiden century from skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi
Afghanistan cricketers Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri, among others, have expressed their profound condolences following the passing of former Afghanistan fast bowler Shapoor Zadran at the age of 38 due to a prolonged illness.
Hashmatullah Shahidi will lead Afghanistan in the upcoming Test and ODI tour of India, while IPL star Allah Ghazanfar earns a call-up after his impressive season with Mumbai Indians.
ICC ODI Player of the Year Afghanistan's Azamatullah Omarzai would be able to join Punjab Kings only on March 20.
IMAGES from the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match between Afghanistan and England at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Wednesday.
Tilak Varma steered Mumbai Indians to victory with a blistering 75 not out from 33 balls, as the visitors chased down 201 with one ball to spare in a thrilling finish in Dharamsala.
Manav Suthar made a sensational Test debut, claiming a six-wicket haul against Afghanistan in the first innings before Washington Sundar took four wickets in their 2nd innings, as India outplayed Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs on day 3 of the one-off Test.
Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus admitted his team's "rusty" performance in making correct DRS calls, citing a lack of conviction and poor decision-making during matches against India, which cost them crucial wickets. He also offered insights into the rigorous review process for on-field umpires.
Manav Suthar starred on Test debut with figures of 6 for 33 as India bowled out Afghanistan for 152 and enforced the follow-on. The Rajasthan spinner registered the second-best bowling figures by an Indian on Test debut.
India reduced Afghanistan to 113 for five at stumps after declaring their first innings on 564 for 8 on Day 2 of the one-off Test at Mullanpur on Sunday.
India will look to seal the ODI series against Afghanistan while continuing to test combinations for the 2027 World Cup, with Kuldeep Yadav and Yashasvi Jaiswal among those pushing for opportunities in the second match.
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai won the first-ever ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award for his war-torn country.
Tilak Varma's unbeaten 75 guided Mumbai Indians to a six-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in a crucial IPL 2026 match.
Harshit Rana returns to the Indian after regaining fitness even as Yashasvi Jaiswal will have to prove his ODI credibility as India look to sweep series against Afghanistan.
India begin their 2027 ODI World Cup preparations against Afghanistan with Rohit Sharma's fitness and Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round abilities under scrutiny, while Shubman Gill continues to shape his leadership credentials.
Pacer Gurnoor Brar impressed on his international debut before captain Shubman Gill played a regal knock to set up India's seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the rain-hit series opener.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim to exploit Punjab Kings' bowling vulnerabilities to secure a playoff berth in the Indian Premier League. Virat Kohli's presence is a major draw for fans in Dharamsala.
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting supports Marco Jansen's late arrival for the IPL, acknowledging logistical challenges faced by South African players after the T20 World Cup.
India begin their 2026 Test season against Afghanistan with several selection questions to answer, including the No. 3 spot and Ravindra Jadeja's long-term successor, as they build towards key World Test Championship assignments.
Teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's thrill-a-second 103, the third fastest IPL hundred off 36 balls, was eclipsed by a collective batting effort by Sunrisers Hyderabad as the visitors etched a commanding five-wicket win in Jaipur on Saturday.
Punjab Kings face a must-win situation against Lucknow Super Giants to keep their IPL playoff hopes alive, needing a turnaround after a series of defeats and dependence on other match results.
Josh Inglis's blistering 72 helped Lucknow Super Giants post a competitive 196 for six against Punjab Kings in their IPL match. Inglis and Ayush Badoni's aggressive batting helped Lucknow recover from an early slump.
Venkatesh Iyer smashed an unbeaten 73 off 40 balls in a pressure game against Punjab Kings, powering Royal Challengers Bengaluru into the IPL 2026 playoffs with a commanding victory.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Kanishk Chouhan, and Henil Patel have been named in the ICC Under-19 World Cup Team of the Tournament after India's record-extending sixth title win.
