AFG vs IND Ball by Ball Commentary

Comfortably done. Afghanistan have been Abhi-shocked in Delhi! Length delivery outside off, Tilak rocks back and steers it toward backward point for a single. It comes off the toe end, though. And hang on, the fielder has a shy at the bowling end but misses, and there is an overthrow that gifts India the extra run and the triumph as well. India win by 7 wickets with 38 balls to spare! A thunderous batting display by the Men in Blue as they go 1-0 in the series.

Flat googly, full on the leg stump. Iyer gets across and tickles it to the right of short fine leg for a quick single. Iyer is not happy with Tilak not calling for the run.

Drops it short on off, Tilak rocks back and knocks it to long off for an easy run.

A touch shorter, on middle, Shreyas whips it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

The length is dragged back a bit, on off, Tilak backs away and punches it to cover.

The off-break, full and on middle, Tilak lunges and looks to flick across, but the ball grazes the leading edge and rolls into covers.

OUT! CAUGHT BRILLIANTLY! Rashid Khan comes up with a top grab. On a length, shaping in from outside off. Kishan gets forward and hammers flat and hard back down the ground. It doesn't climb much, sailing flat towards Rashid stationed at long on. Right on the rope, he lifts one leg to stay inside the line and pouches the catch clean after balancing up. The umpires want to check whether Rashid came in contact with the boundary cushion while holding the ball. And the replay confirms that it is a legal catch. Kishan's fun ends, and India are 152/3, needing 5 runs to win.

In line of the stumps, full in length, Shreyas clips it along the ground to wide deep square leg for a single.

Short and outside off, Ishan hangs back and cuts it powerfully to deep cover-point for a single.

FOUR! In a hurry to get the job done. Too full from Nabi, very quick at 103 kph, outside off. Ishan responds with equal brute force and blasts that down the ground. Before long on can move a muscle, the ball crashes into the fence. India bring up their 150, and they need just 7 more runs to win.

Full at 96 kph, on the pads. Kishan turns it away behind square leg and retains the strike with a single.

Short and wide on off. Iyer stays back and slaps it wide of deep cover. Kishan is keen for the second run but is sent back by his partner and rightly so, as the fielder in the deep was quick to get rid of the ball.

FOUR! In the gap. Flighted up, a bit of turn, on off. Iyer presses forward and plays it late as he angles the drive through point. Darwish Rasooli covers a lot of ground to his left and dives but in vain.

Dropped short, on middle, Kishan pulls it to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

An optimistic shout for LBW! Full and around leg, Kishan lunges for the flick but is beaten on the inside edge and gets hit on the front pad. That has pitched outside the line of the leg stump.

Down leg, full in length. Kishan fails to help it away as the ball clips his pads and drops on the deck.

OUT! CAUGHT! Abhishek Sharma holes out. End of the entertainment from the southpaw. Nabi tries to dart it in very full from around the wicket but ends up serving a full toss, on middle and leg. Sharma has a heave across the line but he does so early and the ball catches the toe end of the blade. It is skied towards wide long on, where Rashid Khan initially thinks that the deep mid-wicket fielder is closer to the ball and hence he does not commit to the catch. He later goes for it and slides to take a reverse cup catch at head height. End of a 121-run stand. India are 139/2, needing 18 more runs.

Shorter and on middle. Sharma clears the front leg and hangs deep in the crease as he smears it away to the right of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

SIX! Picked up beautifully. Flighted up, aimed at the pads. Sharma gets the front leg out of the way and sinks to a knee as he swats it behind square leg. Gets just enough bat on it to clear the fence. 20 more needed for the win as well as for Sharma to reach his hundred.

Low full toss, outside off. Kishan hangs low and drags it down to long on with the bottom hand coming off the bat handle. They cross.

Dropped short, outside off. Kishan spanks it hard and picks out the bones out of it, only to find the cover fielder.

Spears it in very full, on middle. Kishan steps out but ends up yorking himself. Jams it out back to the bowler.

Out comes the googly, on a good length, around off. Abhishek takes a step across and punches it straight to cover-point.

Flatter and shorter, tighter line, just outside the off pole. Abhishek tries to force it away but ends up chopping it down to the right of the bowler.

SIX MORE! He is in a no-nonsense mood. Drops in a half-volley, right into the slot, outside off, Abhishek plants the front leg beside the ball and swings it over long off for another effortless six.

SIX! Marvelous ball striking. Short of a length, angled in around off. Sharma rocks back in a flash and muscles a lofted pull high into the night sky, sailing it cleanly over deep mid-wicket.

Full on the stumps, a googly, seemingly. Ishan turns it into mid-wicket for a single which brings up the 100-run partnership between Ishan and Abhishek in a super-quick time.

FOUR! Quality shot! Flat and full, on off, Ishan takes a giant stride in front and strokes it powerfully down the ground for a boundary, beating long on to his right. Straight as an arrow.

FOUR! Hammered! No mercy for Rashid. Short and outside off, Abhishek Sharma stays put and effortlessly lifts it over extra covers for a cracking boundary.

SIX! High and handsome. A bit fuller on the stumps, drifting in. Abhishek Sharma skips down the track, converts it into a half-volley and hoists it over wide deep mid-wicket for a huge six.

Bowls a googly from around the stumps by using the wider angle. This is dropped a touch full and outside off, Abhishek slices it over cover-point and a slight fumble in the deep allows them to cross for the second run as well.

Short and on off, Ishan whips it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FIFTY FOR ABHISHEK SHARMA! After a streak of low scores and a forgettable series in Zimbabwe, Abhishek has roared back in style with a 22-ball half-century. That's his 12th T20I fifty as well. Full on the leg stump, quicker too, this is worked down to long on for a single. This also brings up the 100 for India​​​​​​. In just 8.2 overs. This has been insane ball-striking by these two, especially Sharma.

On the leg stump, full and quick at 96 kph. Ishan jumps out of the crease to flick but misses. The balll strikes his front pad and ricochets to the square leg region. They get a leg bye.

Pitched fuller and on the stumps, Ishan drills it straight back at the bowler. Noor sticks out his right leg to stop the ball on his follow-through but the ball deflects and rolls behind for a single. India need 59 runs from 72 balls.

Outside off on a length, Abhishek hammers it to the left of the diving cover fielder for a single.

WIDE! Action replay of the previous ball. Down the leg stump, quicker through the air, another wrong'un. Abhishek swings and misses.

WIDE! Hurls in a googly now, short but it spins down leg. Abhishek swings his blade hard to mow it across but misses. Gurbaz moves to his right to collect the ball.

Dishes out a fuller ball, in front of the stumps. Abhishek shows respect and leans forward to smother the spin.

Full and quick, outside off, Ishan comes ahead and powers it down to long off for a single.

A fraction fuller and sliding onto the pads, Ishan whisks it through square leg for a quick couple of runs. Oh hang on, the third umpire is checking whether there is a short run at the batting end. But the replay shows that Abhishek had tapped the bat inside the crease.

Over the wicket. Begins with a very full ball, outside off, Sharma carves it away to deep backward point for a single.

Slides in a flatter length ball, outside off, Abhishek Sharma swings hard to pull but loses his shape a bit and the ball squirts off the inside edge to deep backward square leg for a single. 8 runs from Rashid's first over.

From around the stump, on a length, on off, Ishan stabs into covers for a single.

Quicker and fuller, on leg, Abhishek heaves it off the inner half of the bat to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! He is just dealing in boundaries, is Abhishek. Shorter and outside off, another googly dished out by Khan. Abhishek Sharma picks the variation early, stands tall and pumps it over the covers for a boundary.

A googly now, on a length, around off, Ishan hangs deep inside the crease and whips it down to long on for a single.

Rashid starts with a leg break, tossing it fuller on the leg stump. Ishan tries to flick it off the pads, but misses and is struck on the front pad.

FOUR! Clean strike! Juicy half-volley on middle and leg, Abhishek moves leg side and launches it over the mid on fielder to pick up another four. He is into his 40s already. India finish their Powerplay with 82/1 on the board.

FOUR! Luck favors the brave, they say! Very full from Nabi, outside off, Abhishek Sharma keeps swinging his blade mercilessly, gets an outside edge but the ball flies over short third for a boundary.

Darts it full and on the leg stump. Ishan shimmies down the track to whack it down the ground, but the ball gets sliced on the bounce to short third for a single.

FOUR! Majestic batting! Not all that short from Nabi, on middle and it actually keeps very low on bounce. Still, Kishan hangs back and nails the pull shot, finding the gap at deep mid-wicket for a cracking boundary.

Floated on a length, around off. Ishan backs away and slaps it to the cover fielder. The ball gets parried to the man at mid off as he half-stops.

Around the stumps, quicker at 91 kph, full on middle. Ishan uses his feet and taps it to the left of the bowler.

FOUR! No need to run for that. The 50-run stand comes up in just 19 balls. Banged into the deck again, on off. Sharma backs away to open up the off side and frees his arms to slap it over cover for yet another four. 26 runs off the over.

SIX! Dispatched with disdain. 22 runs off the over, and there is still one ball left. Farooqi repeats the slower bumper but this time Abhishek is up to the task. He takes a step down the track and pummels it over deep mid-wicket. He plays it with a bit of flair too, lifting his front leg.

Out comes the slower, short ball, at the bodyline of the batter. Sharma arches back to play the upper cut but fails to connect.

FIVE WIDES! It is going from bad to worse for Fazalhaq Farooqi. Seam-up ball, trying to tuck the left-hander for room but it keeps going down leg.

Fazalhaq drags the length back and takes the pace off, on off and middle. Kishan shapes up to go for the pull but then adjusts to the slower one and checks his shot. Nudges it square on the leg side for a single.

FOUR! In the gap. India go past 50 in 4.2 overs. Farooqi attempts the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, slanting in at the pads. Kishan hangs low and takes the ball on the full. Swipes it to the right of the man at deep square leg for a four.

SIX! That has gone back many a mile! Fazalhaq Farooqi errs with his line, as this is angled in at the hips from over the wicket. Ishan arches inside the line of the ball and he picks it up behind square leg with the angle for a six.

FOUR! Up and over! Mujeeb so nearly gets it spot on in terms of the yorker, on middle and leg. Abhishek gets the front leg out of the way and gets the leverage to pump it back over the bowler's head. One bounce and into the fence.

Shorter and angled in at the hips. Ishan fails to make any connection on the glance. The batters are quick to sneak in a leg bye as the ball dribbles towards square leg.

Full and darted in on middle, this is hit down to long off for a single.

Fuller and on middle and leg. Kishan lunges and eases it to long on. They cross.

Too straight, on the pads, helped to short fine leg by Ishan.

FOUR! Width offered and Ishan cashes in. On the shorter side, enough width for Ishan to work with. Fast hands from the southpaw as he cuts it to the right of backward point for a four.

FOUR! Put away with ease. Omarzai goes into the wicket but this sits up to be hit, on off. Abhishek hangs back and unleashes the pull over mid-wicket for a boundary.

Does not carry! Skidding through, on a short of a length, on off. Sharma has more of a jab at the ball rather than a full-blooded pull. Sharma does not get the width to get his hands through the line of the ball and is hurried as well. Spoons it wide of deep square leg, where Sediqullah Atal charges across to his right but the ball drops short of him. He does well to get his body behind the ball and even though it is parried away to his right, it only results in a couple.

SIX! High and handsome! Seam-up ball, going across the left-hander on a length. Abhishek puts his head down and with a clean swing of the arms, he tonks it over long off for a maximum.

Wide! Well wide on off.  Abhishek lets it through.

Fuller and on off, Kishan drills it back past the non-striker. The mid off fielder moves to his left and tumbles away to make the stop. Just a single.

Hits the hard length, on off. Ishan hops back and punches it to mid off.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Azmatullah Omarzai is having a special night. Impact with the bat earlier and now he has struck with his first ball. This is on a back of a length, on middle. Samson takes a step back in the crease and tries to pick it up over deep square leg, but he is early into the shot. Gets it right off the bottom half of the blade and, as a result, he only gets the height and not the distance. Darwish Rasooli moves to his left at deep square leg and takes a safe catch. India are 18/1, chasing 157.

This keeps a bit low and skids through, on a good length. Sharma makes room, trying to force it through the off side. Chops it down towards mid on due to the lack of bounce.

Angled in from around the wicket, on a good length. Sharma firms the drive to mid on.

This is fired in, full and on middle. Samson pushes at the ball with hard hands. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads. The ball dribbles beside the strip on the off side and Rahmanullah Gurbaz goes after it but cannot prevent the batters from sneaking in a quick single.

FOUR! Stand and deliver. At 95 kph, fractionally short, around off. Samson plants his front foot forward and gets his hands through the line of the ball, powering it over wide mid off for a boundary.

Fuller and curving back in, on middle. Samson shapes up for the big shot but then adjusts and stabs it down on the off side.

Wide! Darted down leg, on a nagging length. Sanju misses out on the tickle. The ball deflects off the keeper's gloves and rolls to short fine leg.

Following the batter as he backs away a touch, on a good length. Samson taps it to the bowler's right. Mujeeb gets low to make the stop.

SIX! Into the stands! Farooqi stays on the fuller side and gets the ball to curve away. He ends up being a bit too full, and Abhishek takes full toll. Sharma collapses his back knee and extends his hands as he slams it over cover for a biggie.

Closer to the off stump, nice and full, a hint of away shape. Abhishek knocks it to cover watchfully.

Wide. Floated up, flirting with the tramline. Abhishek thinks about going after it but then lets it go as the ball drifts just outside the guideline.

Hooping back in, full and on middle and leg. Abhishek plays around his front pad as he tucks it to mid-wicket.

This is pushed across the right-hander, on a back of a length. Sanju runs it down to deep backward point with the angle and crosses over.

FOUR! Lovely shot. Samson and India are underway. Shaping back into the right-hander, fuller and on the pads. Samson brings his wrists into play and flicks it well wide to the left of the deep square leg fielder for a boundary.

Steams in from over the wicket, a bit of a loosener first up, on a back of a length, wide on off. Samson does not move his feet at all and mistimes it off the back foot to cover.