India vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I is today
India face Afghanistan in the second T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi today, September 15, with a chance to seal the three-match series. India lead 1-0 after a seven-wicket win in the opener and will start the second game as clear favourites, but Afghanistan still have an opportunity to force a decider on September 17.
India vs Afghanistan 2nd T20I time and live streaming
Match: Afghanistan vs India, 2nd T20I. Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi. Scheduled start: 7:30 PM IST. TV coverage in India is on Sony Sports Network, while FanCode is streaming the series online.
What happened in the first T20I
Afghanistan made 156 for eight in the opening match. India chased 157 in only 13.4 overs for the loss of three wickets, winning by seven wickets with 38 balls remaining. Abhishek Sharma drove the chase with 82 from 32 balls, while Ishan Kishan added 42.
That margin matters beyond the 1-0 scoreline. India's top order showed it can attack immediately rather than allowing Afghanistan's bowlers to settle, giving the hosts a difficult tactical problem before the second game.
Series scenario: India can seal it tonight
A second Indian win would make the September 17 finale a dead rubber in terms of the series result. An Afghanistan victory would level the series at 1-1 and turn the third T20I into a decider. All three matches are being played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, so both teams have immediate experience of the surface and conditions.
Abhishek Sharma is the batter Afghanistan must stop
Abhishek's 82 off 32 balls changed the opener before Afghanistan could build pressure. His ability to score quickly in the powerplay and continue attacking spin gives India a route to take the game away from Afghanistan early. How Afghanistan alter their new-ball plans against him is one of the clearest tactical questions in the second T20I.
India squad for the Afghanistan series
India's squad includes Shreyas Iyer as captain, Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur.
Why the Afghanistan series matters before the Asian Games
The Delhi series is India's final bilateral preparation before the Asian Games 2026 cricket schedule begins later this month. That makes the remaining matches useful for settling batting roles, managing returning players and testing combinations before the tournament.
What to watch tonight
India's intent at the top, Afghanistan's response with spin and the management of India's bowling resources are the main themes. Afghanistan need a much better powerplay with the ball after the opener, while India can use a 1-0 lead to keep refining combinations without losing sight of the chance to finish the series early.
The third and final T20I is scheduled for September 17 at the same venue.
