Samson, Nitish star as India thrash Afghanistan by 7 wickets to clinch series

Sanju Samson’s explosive 57 off 22 balls and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s three-wicket haul powered India to a commanding seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second T20I here on Tuesday, giving the hosts an unassailable lead in the three-match series.

Reddy returned with figures of 3/24, striking on the first ball of each of his three overs, as the Indian bowlers produced another disciplined show to restrict Afghanistan to 159 for 8.

India conceded just 64 between overs 7-14 to leave the Afghans struggling at 105 for six in 15 overs, as it was Mohammad Nabi (20) and Rashid Khan (28) who added crucial 48 runs off 28 balls to take them to a decent total in the end. Chasing 160, openers Samson and Abhishek Sharma (39) brutalised Afghanistan bowlers with sensational hitting, amassing 82-1 in the mandatory powerplay to set the foundation as India eventually romped home in 14.5 overs. If Abhishek was the protagonist in the opening T20, it was the 31-year-old Samson who clobbered seven fours and four maximums en route to his fastest fifty which came off 20 balls, displaying his immaculate timing and rich arsenal of strokes once again.

Afghanistan’s ploy to open with spin at both ends backfired as Abhishek blasted Mujeeb Ur Rahman (3/37) for two fours in the first over, before pulling Nabi for a six in the second.

Samson then picked up a four off Azmatullah Omarzai before Abhishek deposited Nabi for his second six in the fourth over as runs came think and fast.

The Kerala batter exploded in the fifth over as he flicked one off the hips for a six, and pumped one across cover before hitting another straight back over the bowler’s head to rack up 20 runs off Omarzai.

Nabi was next in the firing line as Samson and Abhishek milked him for 27 runs with three sixes and two fours.

In seventh over, Rashid Khan (3/36) dismissed Abhishek, who failed to clear the ropes this time.

With 24,215 crowd in attendance at the Arun Jaitley stadium, Samson completed his fastest T20 fifty with another four off, and then pulled Rashid for another six.

But the wily spinner had the last laugh as Samson went for a lofted drive only to be caught by Nabi.

Ishan Kishan (38 not out off 23) and skipper Shreyas Iyer (11) then came together. An inside hit out over extra cover earned a six for the Indian skipper, but he fell next, with Ibrahim Zadran managing to hold on to a catch after a fumble at slip as Rashid picked his third wicket.

Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah gave India the perfect start with a first-over maiden, while Arshdeep Singh dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0) for his second straight duck of the series in the next over. Skipper Ibrahim Zadran (37) then carted the first two deliveries from Bumrah for boundaries, while Arshdeep was next hit for two boundaries by Zadran before Sediqullah Atal (12) glided one fine of the wicket for another four as Afghanistan recovered to 41 for one in the powerplay.

Afghanistan brought up their fifty in the eighth over but Reddy broke the partnership in his first ball after Zadran was holed out to Bishnoi at deep midwicket. Bishnoi then dismissed Atal, who hit straight to Tilak Varma at long-off, as Afghanistan slipped to 59 for three in the 10th over.

Reddy once again struck in his first delivery of his second over, removing Gulbadin Naib, who got a top edge after swinging across the line, with Samson completing the catch.

Bishnoi, however, dropped Omarzai (11) off Axar Patel (2/35) but the spinner did not have to wait long as he had the batter caught in his last over.

Arshdeep returned to end Rasooli’s innings with Tilak taking a fine running catch at long-off.

That brought Nabi and Rashid together and then picked up a few boundaries to take them closer to 150-mark.

Nabi smashed a four and a six off Bishnoi, while Rashid too picked up fours off Bumrah and Arshdeep. He was particularly harsh on the left-arm seamer, creaming 16 runs with two fours and a six.

However, Bumrah removed Nabi in 19th over and then Reddy dismissed Rashid in the first ball of the last over. Noor Ahmed hit a six off the last ball as Afghanistan managed just three runs more than they scored in the first T20I.