Mint ·
Sport
IND vs AFG LIVE Score, 3rd T20I: Abhishek Sharma's carnage powers India to massive 127-run win over Afghanistan
India vs Afghanistan LIVE Score, 3rd T20I: Chasing 222, Afghanistan were bundled out for 94 with Nitish Reddy and Ravi Bishnoi taking three wickets each. Earlier, India rode on Abhishek Sharma's 34-ball 108 and Sanju Samson's half-century to post 221/7 in 20 overs.
India national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team match scorecard: Abhishek Sharma recorded the fastest-ever century for an Indian and third quickest overall as his team crushed Afghanistan by 127 runs in the third T20I to complete a 3-0 series sweep on Thursday.
After putting on 221/7 on board, riding on Abhishek's 34-ball 108 and Sanju Samson's 50, the 'visiting side' India bowled Afghanistan out for 94 in 14.1 overs. Abhishek's third century in T20Is - from only 30 balls - was not only the fastest ever for any Indian but also the quickest for any batter from full member countries. Nitish Kumar Reddy (3/25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3/26) were the pick among Indian bowlers, while Axar Patel also took two wickets.
OUTTT!!!!! Ravi Bishnoi takes the final wicket of Abdullah Ahmadzai as Afghanistan are all out for 94 runs. India win by 127 runs. For India, Ravi Bishnoi and Nitish Reddy took three wickets each. India complete a clean sweep of 3-0.
OUTTT!!! Another one bites the dust. Afghanistan are falling like nine pins. Rashid Khan tries to hit against the turn, misses the line completely and is cleaned up by Ravi Bishnoi. AFG 89/9 (12.5)
OUTTT!!!! Afghanistan slide down in the chase. Mohammad Nabi, trying to go over the top, is cleaned up by a Nitish Reddy delivery. The game is more or less over for Afghanistan. OUTTTT!! Another wicket for Reddy and it's Azmatullah Omarzai. OUTTT.. Third in the over. Mujeeb ur Rahman is cleaned up. AFG 82/8 (11.5)
OUTTTT!!!! Two wickets in two overs for India. After Ibrahim Zadran hit Yash Thakur him for a four in the previous over, the Afghanistan captain flicks straight at the hands of Ishan Kishan at the boundary. AFG 47-4 (5.2)
OUTTTT!!!!! Third wicket for India and first for Jasprit Bumrah. The Indian pacer goes through the games of Darwish Rasooli, right into the blockhole. Rasooli walks back with a first-ball duck. AFG 43/3 (5)
OUTTT!!! Axar Patel is brought into the attack in the powerplay and the left-arm spinner strikes on his first ball. Rahmanullah Gurbaz plays across the line, misses the length and is sees his timbers shattered. OUTTTTT!!!! Two wickets in an over for Axar Patel. Sediqullah Atal goes for a biggie, gets a top edge and is caught by Abhishel Sharma. Atal walks back for 1. AFG 33/2 (4)
Good comeback by Jasprit Bumrah, as the premier pacer gives away just a single boundary in the second over. Yash Thakur, bowling is third game, concedes two fours as Afghanistan continue a strong start. AFG 31/1 (3)
What a start by Afghanistan in the chase. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran walk out in the middle. Nitish Reddy opens the attack for India. Two fours from Gurbaz and a six by Zadran helped Afghanistan 15 runs from the first six balls. AFG 15/0 (1)
Afghanistan have pulled things up pretty good after Abhishek Sharma onslaught. From being at 142/1 in 9.5 overs, India could manage just 221/7 in 20 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai took two wickets.
Soon after Abhishek Sharma's departure, India have lost two wickets in a hurry. Tilak Varma was run out unfortunately, before Sanju Samson walked back after reaching his 50. IND 164/3 (13.1)
OUTTTTT!!!! Finally Afghanistan get their wicket. Abhishek Sharma edges to Rahmanullah Gurbaz behind the wickets off Rashid Khan. Abhishek takes the review, but the TV replays showed there was a edge. The Indian walks back after 108 off just 34 balls. IND 142/1 (10)
Hundred by Abhishek Sharma! The left-hander goes past Rohit Sharma to becomes the fastest Indian to score a T20I hundred. IND 132/0 (8.3)
Abhishek Sharma sails into the 90s with two sixes off Mujeeb Ur Rahman. The left-hander is just one shot and a single away from becoming the fastest Indian to score a T20I hundred. IND 124/0 (8)
There is no stopping Abhishek Sharma in New Delhi. The left-hander smashes 4, 4, 6 in the last three deliveries bowled by Rashid Khan to finish India's powerplay at 100/0 in 6 overs. This is India's highest powerplay score in T20Is.
Mohammad Nabi comes into bowl. He pitches the ball up, but Sanju Samson goes to the backfoot, and smokes a straight six off the bowler's head. What a nice sight to watch. Another ball in the same spot and the same treatment from Samson. Not just Samson, Abhishek Sharma too takes the same route, to bring up his fifty in style. Four more by Abhishek. The left-hander finishes the over with another six. 29 runs come from the over. IND 85/0 (5)
BANGGGG!!!!! Mujeeb ur Rahman is introduced and Sanju Samson clobbers it over the boundary, straight down the ground. Fifty comes up for India. Abhishek Sharma ends the over with a four on the offside. IND 56/0 (4)
Fazalhaq Farooqi returns and Sanju Samson heaves a shorter ball to deep backward square leg for one. Abhishek Sharma then lofts a fuller delivery straight down the ground for six and holds the pose. He gets inside the line of the next short ball and helps it over fine leg for another six. A harmless short ball is pulled past deep square leg for four, and he follows it with four more to fine leg. Two runs to deep extra cover close the over as India reach 45/0 after 3 overs, with Abhishek on 42 off 13.
Azmatullah Omarzai comes on for the second over and starts short and wide. Sanju Samson cuts it to deep point for a single. Abhishek Sharma then swivels on a leg-lined ball and slaps it over deep square leg for six. He swings and misses at a short one angling away outside off, but picks up four to long-on next ball. After a dot, he launches Omarzai over deep extra cover for another six. India end the over at 22 without loss, with Abhishek already on 20 off 8.
Fazalhaq Farooqi opens with the new ball and immediately finds movement. He beats Sanju Samson with one that nips back and takes the inside edge onto the body, then draws a punch to mid-off. Samson steers the next ball to deep backward point and gets off the mark. Abhishek Sharma defends a length ball that shapes away before driving through deep extra cover for four. Farooqi finishes with a dot as India end the first over at 5 for no loss.
Sanju Samson(w), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer(c), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.