Chasing 157, India leaned on Abhishek's explosive knock of seven sixes and seven fours to wrap up the target in just 13.4 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Abhishek got going with a six off Fazalhaq Farooqi in the very first over, and from there, the left-hander never looked back. He lost opening partner Sanju Samson (10), but kept attacking and brought up his fifty off just 22 balls. Abhishek and Ishan Kishan, who scored 42, put together 121 runs, tearing into Afghanistan's bowling and lifting the noise of over 25,000 fans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

"The shots Abhishek played were flawless, exemplary," said India captain Shreyas Iyer. "Kishan has been in great form. He's very relaxed, calm and knows his game." Abhishek eventually fell to off-spinner Mohammad Nabi, with Rashid Khan taking a fine catch in the deep. Nabi then removed Kishan, before Tilak Varma (three) and Iyer (eight) guided the team home. India's left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh set up the win with figures of 3-19 from his four overs, helping restrict Afghanistan to 156-8.

Put in to bat, Afghanistan slumped to 43-5 before Azmatullah Omarzai fought back with an unbeaten 64. Returning pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah began with a wide down the leg side for five extras, but struck on his second legal delivery to dismiss Rahmanullah Gurbaz, caught at first slip. Skipper Ibrahim Zadran tried to counter with two fours, but was soon run out for 11 after a mix-up with Sediqullah Atal, handing India the advantage. "I would say that run out was the turning point," said Zadran. "Ishan Kishan grabbed the ball and threw it to the bowler. They got the momentum."

Wickets kept falling as spinners Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy took one each, leaving Afghanistan at 43-5 inside seven overs. Omarzai, who survived a dropped catch on 39, and Nabi (33) then rebuilt the innings with an 83-run stand. Arshdeep broke the partnership by bowling Nabi with a slower yorker. Omarzai stayed till the end as Afghanistan got 21 off the final over from Shivam Dube, but it wasn't enough against the reigning T20 world champions.