India Post 221/7
After Afghanistan won the toss and elected to field, India made an explosive start. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson destroyed the Afghan bowling attack during the Powerplay, taking India to 100/0 after six overs. Their opening partnership produced 142 runs.
Abhishek was particularly destructive. He reached his half-century from only 16 balls before completing his century in just 30 deliveries. His final score of 108 from 34 balls contained nine fours and 11 sixes, giving him a strike rate of more than 317.
The 30-ball hundred made Abhishek the fastest Indian to score a T20I century, surpassing Rohit Sharma's previous 35-ball record. It also ranks among the fastest centuries in men's T20I cricket overall.
Sanju Samson provided excellent support, scoring 50 from 35 balls, including four sixes and two fours. After the openers departed, Shreyas Iyer added 29 from 20 balls as Afghanistan managed to take wickets during the latter part of the innings. India eventually finished on 221/7 in 20 overs.
India's key batting figures
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma | 108 | 34 |
| Sanju Samson | 500 | 35 |
| Shreyas Iyer | 29 | 20 |
| Shivam Dube | 14 | 10 |
| Ishan Kishan | 10 | 8 |
Afghanistan's chase collapses
Afghanistan needed 222 runs to win but struggled almost immediately. Rahmanullah Gurbaz made 15, while Ibrahim Zadran scored 25, but Afghanistan repeatedly lost wickets and could not establish a substantial partnership.
India's bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi took three wickets each, while Axar Patel claimed two. Jasprit Bumrah and Yash Thakur also picked up wickets.
Afghanistan were eventually dismissed for just 94 in 14.1 overs, leaving India with a massive 127-run victory.
India's bowling performance
The bowling effort was especially effective after the huge total had been posted. Afghanistan were reduced to 51/4 at the end of the powerplay, making the chase extremely difficult.
Nitish Kumar Reddy finished with 3/25, while Ravi Bishnoi also claimed 3/26. Axar Patel's economical spell of 2/9 from three overs added further pressure.
Abhishek Sharma steals the spotlight
The defining moment of the match was undoubtedly Abhishek's extraordinary hundred. His century came at a strike rate that reflected the extraordinary pace of his innings, and he reached the landmark before being dismissed for 108 by Rashid Khan.
His innings also helped India register 100 runs in the Powerplay, with the opening pair contributing 100 from just 36 balls.
The defining moment of the match was undoubtedly Abhishek's extraordinary hundred. His century came at a strike rate that reflected the extraordinary pace of his innings, and he reached the landmark before being dismissed for 108 by Rashid Khan.
His innings also helped India register 100 runs in the Powerplay, with the opening pair contributing 100 from just 36 balls.
India complete a 3-0 sweep
India had already secured the series after winning the first two matches by seven wickets. The third-match victory therefore complete a 3-0 clean sweep.
The series also gave India valuable preparation ahead of the Asian games, with the team able to rest players and maintain its aggressive T20 approach. Before the final match, captain Shreyas Iyer had indicated that the team wanted to provide opportunities to players who had been waiting on the bench.
Final Score
India - 2221/7 (20 Overs)
Afghanistan - 94 all out (14.1 overs)
India won by 127 runs and won the series 3-0
Player of the match: Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek's 108 of 34 balls will be remembered as the defining performance of the match, particularly because of his 30-ball century, which established a new Indian record of the fastest T20I hundred.
In Short: India combined explosive batting with disciplined bowling to finish the Afghanistan series unbeaten. Abhishek's record-breaking century provided the fireworks, while the bowlers ensured that Afghanistan never came close to challenging India's enormous 222-run target.
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