India-Afghanistan 2nd T20I: Nitish, Samson to the fore as Men in Blue seal series with ease

In the quest for a seam-bowling all-rounder, particularly when Hardik Pandya’s battle with injuries has resembled a long-running soap opera, India has backed Nitish Kumar for the best part of two years. The 23-year-old from Visakhapatnam has himself had his tryst with injuries of late, but evenings like the one at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday will go a long way towards boosting the youngster’s confidence.

Nitish, who has ramped up his speed in recent months, scalped three for 24 in his three overs as Shreyas Iyer & Co. restricted Afghanistan to 159 for eight and clinched a seven-wicket win in 14.5 overs. With it, India took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.

After conceding 30 runs in two overs in Sunday’s (September 13, 2026) opener, Nitish needed a productive outing with the ball, especially as he was returning from a quadriceps injury.

If Nitish stepped up, so did Sanju Samson. With 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi watching from the dugout in the first two games, the pressure on the 31-year-old to hold his own as opener is unmistakable in every outing. In the circumstances, Samson responded ably with a belligerent 22-ball 57.

Once again, Jasprit Bumrah set the foundation by starting with a maiden over. Arshdeep Singh reaped the rewards in the next over. Off the left-armer’s third delivery, Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s desperation to get Afghanistan off the mark manifested in a hasty pull. The miscue was pouched by Ravi Bishnoi at mid-on.

After the second-wicket stand between Ibrahim Zadran and Sediqullah Atal accrued 51 runs, Nitish delivered the breakthrough as the Afghan skipper’s heave across the line found deep midwicket.

Bishnoi, who replaced the injured Varun Chakaravarthy, struck shortly after when Sediquulah holed out to Tilak Varma at long-off. More joy came India’s way as Gulbadin Naib skied Nitish to Samson.

A brisk 29-run stand between Azmatullah Omarzai and Darwish Rasooli was laced with lusty blows. Omarzai even had that tincture of luck that every batter needs when Bishnoi spilled an easy chance off Axar Patel’s left-arm spin with the Afghan all-rounder on five. But when both batters departed in quick succession, the Afghans were back in a blind alley at 100 for six in 14.1 overs.

In getting to the total that Zadran & Co. ultimately did, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan displayed their secondary skills. The spin duo, more than capable of chipping in with the willow, put together 48 runs for the seventh wicket.

Will such cameos suffice, however, against this Indian unit? Not on Tuesday’s (September 15) evidence.