In their 2nd T20I match in Indore on Sunday, India defeated Afghanistan by six wickets thanks to stormy half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube. This gave the hosts a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. India’s response to Afghanistan’s 172 was set in motion by opener Jaiswal, who hammered six sixes in his 68 of 34 balls. Dube, another left-hander, achieved his second consecutive undefeated half-century in this series with 63 off 32 balls as India completed the mark with 4.2 overs remaining.

India won the second Twenty20 International (T20I) match in Indore on Sunday by a commanding six-wicket margin, capping the series with half-centuries from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and all-rounder Shivam Dube.

India now holds the record of being undefeated in 15 consecutive Twenty20 International series at home after establishing an unstoppable 2-0 lead against the Afghans. As their fireworks lit up the Holkar stadium, Jaiswal and Dube were at their most vicious, chasing a tough 173.

The pair made light work of the pursuit as they hunted down the target with 26 balls remaining as boundaries rained. Riding high on a wave of spectacular maximums, Dube and Jaiswal destroyed Afghanistan’s bowling attack en route to a convincing victory. Yashasvi was dismissed after smashing 68 off 34 balls, including six sixes, but Dube finished unbeaten with a 32-ball 63 that included four maximums.

Before lower-order batsmen Mujeeb Ur Rahman (21 off 9 deliveries) and Karim Janat (20 off 10) contributed significantly to help Afghanistan reach 172 all out, Gulbadin Naib top-scored with a brisk 35-ball 57.

Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a boundary in the first delivery of India’s chase, followed by an ineffective Afghanistan review, a loud cry for a leg before wicket, and a first-ball duck for Rohit Sharma.

After Virat Kohli opened with a beautiful boundary in his first T20 international since November 2022, Jaiswal hit Fazalhaq Farooqi for two sixes.

Recreating the iconic shot he played against Haris Rauf in the last T20 World Cup at MCG, Kohli blasted a short-of-a-length Naveen-ul-Haq delivery back over the bowler’s head for a four. However, it was a six that night in Australia.

After switching ends, Jaiswal scored three fours and Kohli one, while Mujeeb gave up 19 runs. However, Kohli’s extremely promising spell at the crease was cut short by Naveen-ul-Haq, who caught the maestro at mid-off for a 16-ball 29.

The Afghan bowlers were left battered and injured as Jaiswal and Dube carried out their work with unrelenting brutality, unfazed by Kohli’s dismissal.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the opening batsman for Afghanistan, was asked to bat first. He immediately indicated his intentions by flicking Arshdeep Singh (3/32 in 4 overs) for a four-through square leg. Gurbaz then attempted to drive one straight down the ground, but it did not result in a boundary.

Gurbaz welcomed Mukesh Kumar with a six over the bowler’s head, but Arshdeep opened the scoring with two wides on either side of the wicket. Ibrahim Zadran, who had an LBW review reversed, joined the fray with a one-over-cover boundary.

Afghanistan, behind 0-1 in the three-match series, quickly reached 20 without losing, compelling Rohit Sharma to bring in spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2/39 in 4 overs).

Leg-spinner Bishnoi, who often takes a wicket in his opening over, produced a cameo when he got Gurbaz to attempt a catch to Shivam Dube at mid-on but was unable to reach higher.

Gulbadin Naib, a one-down batsman, began to play his shots from the off, drawing Mukesh through mid-wicket and then hitting him for consecutive fours, taking his cue from Gurbaz’s style of play.

After taking a wicket in his opening over, Gulbadin unleashed his fury on Bishnoi, who was struck by two fours in an eighteen-run over at the Holkar Stadium. The batsman first pulled a short ball over deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel made a successful bowling substitution when he dismissed visiting skipper Ibrahim Zadran with a beautifully flighted delivery that spun just enough to strike the stumps and defeat the batter.

Azmatullah Omarzai did not last long as Dube hit the stumps after the batter aimed for a cross-batted pull shot and missed.

After Axar produced a cost-effective eighth over, Gulbadin hit a slower ball from Dube into the stands over deep mid-wicket. He then hit a half-tracker towards the long-on area for another maximum.

Gulbadin, moved up to number three, reached his fifty in twenty-eight balls. Washington Sundar did not get any rest either, as Gulbadin hit the off-spinner for a massive six over deep mid-wicket.

Axar (2/17 in 4 overs), by far India’s finest bowler of the day, gave the vital breakthrough when, after bowling a delivery that was a little slower than normal, he had Gulbadin caught at mid-wicket by Rohit.

Even after Gulbadin was removed, Afghanistan’s innings stalled when Bishnoi removed Mohammad Nabi.

SOURCE: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/2nd-t20i-yashasvi-jaiswal-shivam-dube-fireworks-help-india-seal-series/articleshow/106841779.cms