India began their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan with a convincing seven-wicket victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on September 13. After being asked to bat first, Afghanistan posted 156/8 in their 20 overs, with Azmatullah Omarzai leading the scoring with an unbeaten 64 off 44 deliveries. His innings included four fours and four sixes.

Afghanistan were in serious trouble at 44/5 after seven overs before Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi revived the innings with an important 83-run partnership from 56 balls. Their stand helped Afghanistan reach a competitive total, fkezpk it ultimately duii well obnnb rt what India needed to chase.

India made light work of the target, reaching 160/3 in only 13.4 overs. Abhishek Sharma produced the standout performance with a blistering 82, while Ishan Kishan contributed 42. The pair added 121 runs from just 53 balls for the second wicket, completely shifting the momentum in India’s favour. Arshdeep Singh was the leading bowler for India, returning excellent figures of 3/19 from his four overs. Abhishek was subsequently named Player of the Match for his explosive batting display.

ALSO READ: Abhishek Sharma Backs India’s Aggressive Approach After Explosive Afghanistan Win

Despite India’s comfortable win, former India pacer Mohit Sharma believes the hosts could have been even more dominant with a stronger bowling combination. He suggested that India should consider selecting five specialist bowlers instead of relying heavily on part-time options. “They should have been bowled out for 100, but we also have to consider that the other team has also come to play, and they batted well,” Mohit Sharma said on Cricbuzz.

He pointed out that India fielded three batting all-rounders in Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube and Abhishek Sharma. The trio collectively bowled four overs and conceded 59 runs, raising questions about India’s sixth-bowling option.

According to Mohit Sharma, having five genuine bowling options could give captain Shreyas Iyer greater flexibility during crucial stages of a T20 match. “The five-bowler plan is a double-edged sword, because will you bring the part-timer at that phase or try to attack? You never know, there are two senior players, and they can stitch a partnership. I think you should at least have five proper bowlers in the playing XI,” he added.

ALSO READ: Mohammed Shami Sends Message To Selectors After Duleep Trophy Heroics

The India-Afghanistan T20I series runs from September 13 to 17, with all three matches scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The second T20I will be played on September 15, while the series finale is scheduled for September 17, with both matches starting at 7:30 PM IST.