India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in the first T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on September 13, 2026. Shreyas Iyer’s men successfully chased down Afghanistan’s total of 157 runs in just 13.4 overs, with a strong batting display that featured two key contributions. The victory set the tone for the bilateral series between the two teams.
Murali Kartik, the former India cricketer and commentator, highlighted Ishan Kishan‘s performance and consistency not just in the chase but since his comeback to the national setup. Kishan scored 42 runs off 33 balls in the successful run-chase, forming a crucial partnership with Abhishek Sharma that proved decisive in India’s victory.
“He has been a modicum of consistency for India. Just look at what he has been doing from the time he has come back into the side. He has been phenomenal. He is one of those who has found a way to get runs now. The initial impetuousness that he had when he was in the Indian team before; now the transformation has been heartening to see,” Kartik said during a discussion on Sony Sports.
Kartik on Kishan’s consistency and transformation
Abhishek Sharma was the standout performer in India’s chase, scoring 82 runs off just 32 balls. The aggressive batting from Sharma set the platform for India’s successful pursuit, and his partnership with Kishan proved to be the match-winning combination. Together, the two batters added 121 runs for the second wicket, a partnership that took just 56 balls to complete.
Kartik warned bowlers that bowling to Kishan’s hips, going short, or giving him room to free his arms are dangerous tactics, as the wicketkeeper-batter rarely misses out on scoring from balls bowled in these areas.
“Some of the shots that he plays and some of the control that he has over most of the shots, there are certain no-go areas as a bowler to him. Don’t go into his hips, don’t bowl short, don’t bowl wide; he has got such fast hands, he is going to hurt you every day,” Kartik said.
Kishan’s 42-run contribution, though not the largest individual score in the chase, played a vital role in maintaining the momentum of India’s innings. His ability to rotate the strike and find the boundary when required complemented Sharma’s aggressive approach perfectly. The partnership between the two demonstrated India’s depth in the middle order and their capacity to construct successful chases in T20 cricket.
