India and Afghanistan clash in the second T20I today in Delhi, with India holding a 1-0 series lead.

India won the first match by 7 wickets, chasing down Afghanistan’s total of 156 for 8 in just 13.4 overs.

Abhishek Sharma’s half-century powered India’s run-chase in the series opener.

The three-match series is being played entirely at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, with the final game scheduled for September 17.

India would take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with a win in today’s match.

Afghanistan have shown steady improvement in T20 cricket in recent years, with several of their bowlers posing a genuine threat to top-order batters.

The Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as Feroz Shah Kotla, has hosted numerous high-profile India matches across formats.

India’s T20I squad for the series includes several players who have also featured prominently in the ongoing Asian Games preparations.

A series victory in the second T20I would give India an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match still to play.

Afghanistan will be looking to bounce back after their heavy defeat in the series opener, needing a much-improved batting effort against India’s bowling attack.

The series comes as part of a busy international calendar for India across formats, with several other assignments scheduled in the coming months.

Delhi’s late-monsoon weather has occasionally affected outfield conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in September, though there were no reports of disruption to the series opener.

India’s team management has used bilateral T20I series like this one to assess bench strength ahead of major multi-team tournaments later in the year.

Ticket sales for the Delhi T20Is have reportedly been strong, reflecting continued fan interest in India’s home fixtures across formats.

India chased down Afghanistan’s total of 156 for 8 in just 13.4 overs in the series opener, a dominant run-chase that set the tone for the series.

Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

India are through to the Women’s Asia Cup final after beating Bangladesh by 40 runs in the semi-final at Dubai.

Shafali Verma’s 64 off 40 balls led India to 149 for 6, batting first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Deepti Sharma picked up 3 for 26 as Bangladesh fell short, managing only 109 for 7 in their chase.

India will meet either Pakistan or Sri Lanka in the September 13 final, with that semi-final at the same venue.

The result extends India’s unbeaten run in the tournament and their record of reaching every Women’s Asia Cup final to date.

The Dubai International Cricket Stadium has hosted the majority of matches in this year’s Women’s Asia Cup, including both semi-finals.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s side has remained unbeaten through the tournament heading into the final, extending their strong recent form in T20 cricket.

The Women’s Asia Cup has been dominated by India since its inception, with the team reaching the final in every edition held so far.

India’s bowling attack, led by spinners including Deepti Sharma, has been a key factor in restricting opposition totals throughout the tournament.

The final on September 13 coincides with the ongoing BRICS Summit period in India, though the match itself is being played in Dubai.

India’s win over Bangladesh marked their sixth consecutive appearance in a Women’s T20 Asia Cup final, underlining their dominance in the tournament’s history.

Shafali Verma’s 64 off 40 balls was the standout innings of the semi-final, anchoring India’s total of 149 for 6 after being sent in to bat.

Deepti Sharma’s 3 for 26 with the ball was instrumental in restricting Bangladesh to 109 for 7 in their chase, sealing a 40-run victory for India.

India’s opponent in the September 13 final will be decided by the second semi-final between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, played at the same Dubai venue.

Shafali Verma, PIB/Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India

East Zone are Duleep Trophy champions once again, ending a 13-year wait for the title after their final win over South Zone in Chennai.

Ishan Kishan’s combined 350 runs across both innings — 270 and 80 — made him the standout performer of the final, earning him the Player of the Match award.

East Zone’s first innings of 708 proved too much for South Zone, who were bowled out for 336 in reply.

Half-centuries and centuries from Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shikhar Mohan and Kumar Kushagra bolstered East Zone’s dominant first-innings total.

The final at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, held from September 6 to 10, ended without an outright result, handing East Zone the title on first-innings lead.

The Duleep Trophy is decided on first-innings lead when a match doesn’t produce an outright result within the scheduled days, as was the case in this final.

The final was played at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, running from September 6 to 10.

Ishan Kishan’s Player of the Match award recognised his rare feat of scoring a double-century and a half-century in the same first-class match.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the teenage batting prospect, was part of East Zone’s title-winning squad, gaining valuable first-class experience in a high-stakes final.

East Zone’s bowlers also played a key role in restricting South Zone to 336, setting up the platform from which Kishan’s batting sealed the outright title on lead.

East Zone’s title win ends a 13-year wait for the trophy, their last Duleep Trophy triumph having come well over a decade ago.

Ishan Kishan’s aggregate of 350 runs across both innings — 270 and 80 — is among the most dominant individual performances in a Duleep Trophy final.

Abhimanyu Easwaran (72), Shikhar Mohan (85) and Kumar Kushagra (101) all made significant contributions to East Zone’s massive first-innings 708.

Ishan Kishan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0