India National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

India National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard: 30-Ball Ton Powers Dominant Victory

The India National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard from 17 September 2026 captures one of the most one-sided contests of the year. At Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, India posted 221 for 7 and then bowled Afghanistan out for 94 in 14.1 overs to complete a 3-0 T20I series whitewash by 127 runs.

Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 108 off just 34 balls — the fastest T20I hundred by a batter from a Full Member nation — was the centrepiece. Sanju Samson added a composed fifty, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi took three wickets each in a clinical bowling display. The result sealed India’s dominance in the short series and underlined the gulf that currently exists between the two sides in the shortest format.

This article provides the complete, verified India National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard, innings analysis, key turning points, player performances and series context.

Previous Meetings

India entered the third T20I already leading the series 2-0 after two comfortable seven-wicket victories in Delhi on 13 and 15 September. Afghanistan had struggled to post competitive totals in the first two games and were searching for a response. The series was billed as Afghanistan’s “home” series hosted in India, yet the hosts (in this arrangement) found themselves repeatedly outclassed.

Head-to-head history heavily favours India. Afghanistan have never beaten India in a completed T20I, ODI or Test. The 2026 bilateral series simply extended that record.

Match Summary

Detail Information
Match India vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I
Venue Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Date 17 September 2026
Tournament / Series Afghanistan tour of India 2026 (T20I series)
Toss Afghanistan elected to field
India Score 221/7 (20 overs)
Afghanistan Score 94 all out (14.1 overs)
Result India won by 127 runs
Player of the Match Abhishek Sharma (India)
Player of the Series Abhishek Sharma (India)
India Batting Scorecard
Batter Runs Balls 4s 6s Strike Rate
Sanju Samson (wk) 50 35 2 4 142.85
Abhishek Sharma 108 34 9 11 317.64
Tilak Varma 2 5 0 0 40.00
Shreyas Iyer (c) 29 20 0 2 145.00
Shivam Dube 14 10 1 1 140.00
Ishan Kishan 10 8 1 0 125.00
Nitish Kumar Reddy 1 4 0 0 25.00
Axar Patel 5* 4 0 0 125.00
Ravi Bishnoi 0* 0 0 0 –
Extras 2 (w 2) – – – –
Total 221/7 20 overs – – RR 11.05
India’s innings was built almost entirely on the opening stand. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson put on 142 runs in just 9.5 overs. Sharma reached his fifty in 16 balls and his hundred in only 30 balls, breaking Rohit Sharma’s Indian record. After Sharma’s dismissal, the middle order could not maintain the same intensity, and India scored only 79 runs in the final 10 overs. Still, 221 proved more than enough.

Afghanistan Bowling Scorecard

Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Economy
Fazalhaq Farooqi 4 0 39 0 9.75
Azmatullah Omarzai 3 0 27 2 9.00
Mujeeb Ur Rahman 4 0 45 0 11.25
Mohammad Nabi 1 0 29 0 29.00
Rashid Khan 4 0 43 1 10.75
Abdollah Ahmadzai 4 0 38 1 9.50
Azmatullah Omarzai was the only Afghanistan bowler who exercised any control, finishing with 2 for 27. Rashid Khan took the key wicket of Abhishek Sharma but was otherwise expensive. The rest of the attack leaked runs freely, especially in the powerplay where India raced past 100.

Afghanistan Batting Scorecard

Batter Runs Balls 4s 6s Strike Rate
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk) 15 11 3 0 136.36
Ibrahim Zadran (c) 25 16 4 1 156.25
Sediqullah Atal 1 3 0 0 33.33
Darwish Rasooli 0 1 0 0 0.00
Azmatullah Omarzai 17 13 1 1 130.76
Noor ul Rahman 11 15 2 0 73.33
Mohammad Nabi 8 9 1 0 88.89
Rashid Khan 6 5 1 0 120.00
Mujeeb Ur Rahman 0 2 0 0 0.00
Abdollah Ahmadzai 6 8 1 0 75.00
Fazalhaq Farooqi 0* 2 0 0 0.00
Extras 5 (lb 1, w 4) – – – –
Total 94 all out 14.1 overs – – RR 6.63
Chasing 222, Afghanistan never recovered from early blows. They lost four wickets inside the powerplay and collapsed further against the spin of Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi. Only Ibrahim Zadran and Azmatullah Omarzai reached double figures of substance.

India Bowling Performance

Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Economy
Nitish Kumar Reddy 4 0 25 3 6.25
Jasprit Bumrah 2 0 16 1 8.00
Yash Thakur 2 0 17 1 8.50
Axar Patel 3 0 9 2 3.00
Ravi Bishnoi 3.1 0 26 3 8.21
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi shared six wickets between them. Axar Patel’s economical spell of 2 for 9 in the middle overs strangled any recovery. The attack operated as a unit, never allowing Afghanistan a partnership of substance.

Match Highlights

Match Highlight Details
Best Batter Abhishek Sharma – 108 (34)
Best Bowler Nitish Kumar Reddy – 3/25 & Ravi Bishnoi – 3/26
Best Partnership Abhishek Sharma & Sanju Samson – 142 (9.5 overs)
Key Moment Abhishek Sharma’s 30-ball century
Turning Point Opening stand of 142 and early Afghanistan wickets
Best Bowling Spell Axar Patel 3-0-9-2 / Reddy’s three-wicket over
Best Batting Performance Abhishek Sharma’s record hundred
Final Result India won by 127 runs
Detailed Match Highlights

Explosive Opening Partnership

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson put on 142 runs in under 10 overs. Sharma alone scored 76 of those runs in the powerplay — a record for the highest individual score in the first six overs of a men’s T20I.

Abhishek Sharma’s Record Century

Sharma reached his hundred in exactly 30 balls, the fastest by any Full Member batter. He finished with nine fours and 11 sixes. His celebration — a meditative pose — paid homage to mentor Yuvraj Singh.

Afghanistan’s Powerplay Collapse

Afghanistan lost four wickets inside the first six overs of their chase. Axar Patel and the seamers made early inroads that proved decisive.

Middle-Over Strangle

Once the top order was gone, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi ran through the middle and lower order. Afghanistan never mounted a serious fight.

Turning Point of the Match

  1. The 142-run opening stand – Put India in complete control and demoralised the Afghanistan attack.
  2. Abhishek Sharma’s hundred in 30 balls – Created a total that was already out of reach.
  3. Early wickets in the chase – Four wickets in the powerplay left Afghanistan with no platform.
  4. Reddy and Bishnoi’s three-wicket hauls – Converted pressure into a comprehensive collapse.

Top Players / Player Performance

Player Team Role Performance
Abhishek Sharma India Batter 108 (34)
Sanju Samson India Batter / WK 50 (35)
Nitish Kumar Reddy India All-rounder 3/25
Ravi Bishnoi India Bowler 3/26
Axar Patel India Bowler 2/9
Azmatullah Omarzai Afghanistan All-rounder 17 & 2/27
Abhishek Sharma – Match-Winning Knock

108 off 34 balls with 11 sixes. Fastest Full Member T20I hundred. Series-defining performance that earned him both Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards (229 runs in three innings).

Nitish Kumar Reddy & Ravi Bishnoi – Brilliant Bowling Spells

The pair shared six wickets and ensured the chase never gained momentum.

Series / Tournament Overview

Match Result Margin
1st T20I (13 Sep) India won 7 wickets
2nd T20I (15 Sep) India won 7 wickets
3rd T20I (17 Sep) India won 127 runs
Series result: India won 3–0. Abhishek Sharma finished as the leading run-scorer and Player of the Series.

Head-to-Head Record (Completed Matches)

Format Matches India Won Afghanistan Won Tied / NR
Tests 2 2 0 0
ODIs 7+ 6 0 1 tied
T20Is 12+ Multiple 0 Limited NR / 1 tied regulation
India remain undefeated against Afghanistan in completed internationals across all formats.

Why India Won

  1. Explosive powerplay batting led by Abhishek Sharma.
  2. A 142-run opening partnership that set an unreachable total.
  3. Clinical early wickets in the chase.
  4. Outstanding middle-over control from Axar Patel, Reddy and Bishnoi.
  5. Superior depth and execution under pressure.

Importance of the Match

The victory completed a clean sweep and reinforced India’s status as the dominant T20 side in Asia. For Afghanistan it highlighted the continuing gap against top-tier opposition. Abhishek Sharma’s form provided a major boost heading into subsequent assignments, while the bowling unit gained further confidence.

Conclusion

The India National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard of 17 September 2026 will be remembered for Abhishek Sharma’s extraordinary 34-ball 108 and a complete team performance that produced a 127-run victory. India sealed the series 3-0 with authority. The biggest turning point was the opening partnership of 142, after which Afghanistan never recovered. Fans can expect India to carry this momentum forward while Afghanistan will look to rebuild ahead of future encounters.

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FAQs

Where can I check the India National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard?
Official sources such as ESPNcricinfo carry the full verified scorecard from the 3rd T20I on 17 September 2026.

Who was the top scorer in the match?
Abhishek Sharma with 108 off 34 balls.

Who took the most wickets?
Nitish Kumar Reddy (3/25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3/26) shared the highest tally.

What was the final result?
India won by 127 runs.

Where was the match played?
Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi.

Who was Player of the Match?
Abhishek Sharma.

What were the key highlights?
Abhishek Sharma’s 30-ball century, the 142-run opening stand, and Afghanistan’s collapse to 94.

What is the head-to-head record?
India remain undefeated against Afghanistan in completed matches across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.

For more detailed match timelines, scores, and cricket updates, visit matchtimelineworld.com for the latest information.

I am a passionate sports data analyst and content creator specializing in game performance metrics, real-time match statistics, and team dynamics. With years of experience deciphering complex match trends and player performance, I bridge the gap between raw statistical data and actionable sports insights. My goal is to empower fans and enthusiasts with accurate, in-depth analytical coverage to help them understand every key moment on and off the field.