Samson, Reddy lead India to series-clinching win over Afghanistan

Sanju Samson and Nitish Kumar Reddy's stellar performances were instrumental in India securing a series-clinching victory over Afghanistan in the second T20 held in Delhi on Tuesday. Samson scored an impressive 57 runs, while Reddy claimed three wickets, leading India to a commanding seven-wicket win and a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

After electing to bowl, India got off to a flying start by dismissing Afghanistan's opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck in the second over. The hosts reduced their opponents to 96-5, with captain Ibrahim Zadran contributing 37 runs off just 33 balls. Afghanistan's late counter-attack came from Mohammad Nabi (20) and Rashid Khan (28), who managed to keep India's score in check at 159-8 from their 20 overs.

Reddy was the standout bowler for India, finishing with figures of 3-24. Samson and Abhishek Sharma put on an aggressive 88 runs for the first wicket, setting the stage for a thrilling chase. Rashid Khan disrupted India's momentum by taking two quick wickets - Sharma (39) and Samson - before Shreyas Iyer was dismissed for 11. With India's T20 World Cup holders, the team had the depth to respond, with Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma chipping in with an unbeaten 40 off 25 balls to secure victory with 31 balls left.

Iyer praised the team's resilience, stating, "Looking at the last match and coming into this one, we were demanding a comprehensive win and today was a good one." The T20 series will conclude with Afghanistan facing India in the final match at the same venue on Thursday. Iyer added, "The final match will be a chance to give playing time to members of the squad who missed the first two games, offering them an opportunity to get used to the wicket and some practice."