India won the toss, chose to bowl, and then spent most of the first innings reminding Afghanistan why that call made sense. By the time the 20th over ended at Arun Jaitley Stadium, the visitors were 156 for 8 and India needed 157 to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
The early damage was brutal. Jasprit Bumrah, back in the XI after injury, removed Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the first over. A sharp relay run-out from Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel then sent captain Ibrahim Zadran packing. Arshdeep Singh and Axar added two more before the powerplay was done. When Varun Chakravarthy bowled Darwish Rasooli, Afghanistan were 43 for 5 and staring at a collapse.
Azmatullah Omarzai refused to let the innings fold. He finished unbeaten on 64 off 44 balls, with four fours and four sixes, and found a useful partner in Mohammad Nabi (33). Their stand dragged Afghanistan past 120. Arshdeep returned with a yorker to break that partnership, then had Rashid Khan caught. A run-out of Noor Ahmad and a messy last over from Shivam Dube, who leaked 21, still left India with a chase well within range on a ground that has favoured teams batting second.
Arshdeep’s 3 for 19 was the standout. Chakravarthy was the most economical of the frontline bowlers at 1 for 16. Bumrah and Axar chipped in with a wicket each. The fifth and sixth bowling options, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Dube, were expensive, but the regulars had already done enough.
India’s batting order now takes over: Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson at the top, Ishan Kishan, captain Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma and a deep middle order behind them. On a Delhi night, 157 is not a mountain. It is a test of intent. Afghanistan still have Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Fazalhaq Farooqi to defend it. The series opener is set up exactly as India planned it — only the last 20 overs remain.
