IND vs AFG: India sealed the series with a six-wicket victory in the second T20I at Indore, thanks to the half-centuries of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and allrounder Shivam Dube. India has now won 15 consecutive T20I home series.

Jaiswal and Dube, chasing a 173-point target, lit up the Holkar Stadium with their explosive fireworks. The duo scored a lot of boundaries, and India reached the target in 26 balls. Dube and Jaiswal, riding on a series of maximums, smashed Afghanistan’s bowlers into smithereens to secure a convincing win.

Yashasvi was out after hitting 68 in 34 balls with six sixes. On the other hand, Dube ended up unbeaten at 63 off 32 balls and hit four maximums. Gulbadin Naib scored a breezy 57 off 35 balls before Mujeebur Rahman (21 from 9 balls) and Karim Janat (20 from 10) contributed valuable contributions to help Afghanistan reach 172.

As It Happened

India’s chase started on an eventful note. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a boundary off the first ball, there was a loud call for an LBW, an Afghanistan review failed, and Rohit Sharma had a duck in his first ball.

Virat Kohli started his first T20I match since November 2022 with a boundary before Jaiswal hit Fazal-haq-Faooqi twice for sixes.

Kohli recreated the famous shot that he made against Haris Raf in the T20 World Cup held at the MCG. He hit a Naveen ul Haq short delivery over the bowler’s head to score a four. It was a six in Australia, but not on that night.

After switching ends, Mujeeb conceded 19 runs. Jaiswal scored three fours, while Kohli only managed one. Naveen-ul Haq ended Kohli’s promising stay on the crease when he caught him at mid-off for a 29-ball score in 16 balls.

Unperturbed by Kohli’s dismissal, the duo Jaiswal-Dube went about their work brutally, leaving the Afghan bowlers battered and bruised.

When asked to bat first, Afghanistan’s opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz immediately signaled his intent. He flicked Arshdeep (3/32 in four overs) through square leg for a four and then attempted to hit a straight down the ground, but it did not result in a boundary.

Gurbaz welcomed Mukesh with a six above the bowler’s heads. At the same time, Ibrahim Zadran got in on the action after a review was given to him for lbw. He lofted one over cover and scored a boundary.

India Wins 15th T20I Series In A Row At Home

Team India won by six wickets in the series’ second T20 match between India and Afghanistan. Team India won the series by winning this match. India has now won 15 consecutive T20 series at home.

India has now won 15 successive home series without losing. India’s last home series loss was in February 2019. Two of the 15 series that followed this ended in a draw, and India won 13. Both series against South Africa were drawn.

Shivam Dube, After India’s Victory

The skipper was very pleased with my performance. He told me, “Well played.” (On Jaiswal:) We are both stroke players, and we know our games. Our plan was not only to attack the spinners but also to finish the game quickly.

We didn’t have a target but should have ended the game sooner. Apart from my skills, I’ve worked on mentally preparing for a T20 match. How to deal with pressure and which bowlers you should take on.

It’s okay to hit each ball. It was good that my bowling worked in the first match, but it could have been more effective today. T20 cricket is a T20 game.

Afghanistan Skipper Ibrahim Zadran After Defeat

We needed to be longer. After a great start, we could have been better. We play well sometimes during the powerplay and other times in the middle of the match.

To have a successful T20 World Cup, we need to keep the momentum going and not make mistakes again. (On Gulbadin Naib:) He is the senior player; we trust him, and when he made a few shots during the powerplay, we wanted him to continue that momentum into the innings.

Axar Patel,  Player of The Match

It feels good. I just realised that I’ve got 200 T20 wickets. What is more important is to continue doing well for India. I don’t remember how many doors I took a few years ago. I’ve been trying to slow down my bowling and vary my lengths.

Now, I can gauge better. I can now bowl in any situation, including the powerplay. As a T20 bowler, you need to prepare yourself mentally.

It would help if you were ready to give up a six because the exact ball can get you a wicket another day. I used to change my plan if a batter hit me, but I now stick to it and force the batter to take a chance.

India Skipper Rohit Sharma After Win

It’s a beautiful feeling. The journey began in 2007. Every moment here has been a treasure. It was clear what we wanted to achieve, a clear message for everyone. When you see such a performance, you can feel proud. It’s one thing to talk about it. But, it’s another to go and play in that manner.

In the last two matches, we have ticked off a lot. Jaiswal, who has now played T20I and Test cricket, had a fantastic couple of years.

He has proven what he’s capable of. He is talented and has an impressive range of shots. Dube is big, powerful, and can handle spinners. It is his job, and he played two crucial innings in our favour.

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