India clinched a six-wicket victory against Afghanistan in the first T20 International, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series on Thursday.
Playing at home, India successfully restricted Afghanistan to 158 for five. In their chase, India surpassed the target with 17.3 overs played, finishing at 159 for four.
Shivam Dube was pivotal in India’s chase, scoring an unbeaten 60 off 40 balls. Jitesh Sharma contributed 31 runs, followed by Tilak Verma with 26 and Shubman Gill adding 23 runs to the team’s total.
Axar Patel, India’s left-arm spinner, led the bowling effort with impressive figures of 2/23. Mukesh Kumar also made a significant impact with 2/33.
For Afghanistan, Mohammad Nabi was the standout performer, scoring a brisk 42 off 27 deliveries, which bolstered their innings.
Brief Scores:
- Afghanistan: 158/5 in 20 overs (Mohammad Nabi 42; Axar Patel 2/23, Mukesh Kumar 2/33)
- India: 159/4 in 17.3 overs (Shivam Dube 60; Mujeev Ur Rahman 2/21)
