September 13, 2026, turned into a memorable day for Indian cricket as both the men’s and women’s teams produced impressive victories in T20 cricket.
India’s men’s side began the Afghanistan series with a commanding seven-wicket victory in the first T20I at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi. Later in the day, India Women produced an equally dominant performance against Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final in Dubai, winning by 72 runs to lift the continental title for a record eighth time.
For cricket followers and Mahadev Book readers, both matches offered plenty of talking points, from explosive batting and disciplined bowling to outstanding individual performances.
Afghanistan vs India 1st T20I: India Start Series With a Seven-Wicket Win
India began their three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in style, chasing down Afghanistan’s total of 156/8 in just 13.4 overs.
India finished on 157/3, winning with 38 balls remaining. The result gave India a 1-0 lead in the series and highlighted the difference between the two sides during both innings.
The match was played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, where India produced a strong all-round performance.
Afghanistan Struggle After a Fast Start
Afghanistan had opportunities early in their innings but struggled to maintain momentum.
India’s bowling attack immediately applied pressure, with Jasprit Bumrah dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the opening over. Afghanistan subsequently lost wickets quickly and were reduced to 43/5 inside seven overs.
The middle order then attempted to rebuild the innings. A partnership involving Mohammad Nabi and Azmatullah Omarzai helped Afghanistan recover and push towards a competitive total.
Omarzai launched an aggressive counterattack as Afghanistan attempted to approach the 160-run mark. However, India’s bowlers controlled the final stages effectively, with Arshdeep Singh helping restrict Afghanistan’s late scoring.
Afghanistan eventually finished at 156/8 from their 20 overs.
Abhishek Sharma Produces a Stunning Chase
India’s response was dominated by an explosive innings from Abhishek Sharma.
The left-handed opener smashed 82 from only 32 deliveries, earning the Player of the Match award. His innings gave India immediate control and turned what could have been a competitive chase into a straightforward victory.
Abhishek’s approach was particularly effective during the powerplay. India reached 82/1, with Sanju Samson the only wicket to fall during that initial phase.
Ishan Kishan provided excellent support and contributed 42 from 33 balls, including five fours and a six. His partnership with Abhishek put India firmly ahead of the required rate.
Although Kishan was eventually dismissed by Mohammad Nabi, India were already comfortably positioned. Shreyas Iyer and the lower-order batters completed the chase in the 14th over.
Explore: Mahadev book login | Mahadev book register | Mahadev Book ID | Sports Betting | Casino Games | Mahadev Betting App
Bumrah’s Return Adds Another Dimension
One of the major positives for India was the return of Jasprit Bumrah.
India captain Shreyas Iyer praised the bowling unit after the match, highlighting Bumrah’s ability to create momentum at the start of the innings, while also crediting Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy for their contributions.
India’s spinners were particularly effective. Cricbuzz statistics showed that India’s spinners bowled 60.7% of their deliveries in the good-length zone and returned combined figures of 2/26, while Afghanistan’s spinners conceded 48 runs for one wicket.
The victory also extended Afghanistan’s losing streak against India in completed T20Is to nine matches.
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women: Asia Cup Glory
While the men’s team were dominating Afghanistan in Delhi, India’s women’s team were producing a historic performance in Dubai.
India Women defeated Sri Lanka Women by 72 runs in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India posted 183/5 from 20 overs, before dismissing Sri Lanka for 111 in 20 overs.
The victory gave India their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title and continued their strong record in the tournament.
Shafali and Mandhana Set Up India’s Big Total
India won the toss and elected to bat first.
The decision proved highly effective as India’s top order established a strong foundation.
Shafali Verma was named Player of the Match after scoring an outstanding 68 from 39 balls. Her aggressive innings provided India with the early momentum needed to build a sizeable total.
She was well supported by Smriti Mandhana, who contributed a valuable 59. Together, the Indian openers ensured that Sri Lanka’s bowlers were under pressure from the beginning.
India eventually reached 183/5, giving their bowlers a substantial target to defend.
India’s Spinners Destroy Sri Lanka’s Chase
Sri Lanka faced an increasingly difficult chase as India’s bowling attack took control.
The standout performer with the ball was Shree Charani, who produced a superb spell of 4/22. Her performance was instrumental in breaking Sri Lanka’s middle order and preventing the defending champions from building a meaningful partnership.
Experienced all-rounder Deepti Sharma added further pressure with 3/19.
The Indian spinners worked together to restrict Sri Lanka’s scoring during the middle overs. As the required run rate increased, Sri Lanka were forced into increasingly aggressive shots, leading to a succession of wickets.
Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 111, handing India a comprehensive 72-run victory.
A Tournament Dominated by India
India’s performance in the Women’s Asia Cup went beyond the final.
Cricbuzz statistics show that India recorded a tournament batting run rate of 8.35, compared with 5.12 for the other teams combined. India also recorded a bowling average of 8.84 and an economy rate of 4.29.
India hit 32 sixes during the tournament, considerably more than Sri Lanka’s eight.
There were also individual milestones. Shree Charani’s four wickets in the final helped her reach 39 T20I wickets during 2026, the most by an India women’s bowler in a calendar year according to the Cricbuzz statistics.
The 72-run victory was also the second-largest margin in a final of a five-or-more-team women’s T20 tournament, behind Australia’s 85-run victory over India in the 2020 T20 World Cup final.
Two Matches, One Big Indian Cricket Story
The two victories highlighted different strengths.
The men’s team relied heavily on explosive opening batting and disciplined bowling. Abhishek Sharma’s 82 from 32 balls completely changed the Afghanistan match, while Bumrah and the bowling unit prevented Afghanistan from posting a larger total.
The women’s team combined powerful opening batting with outstanding spin bowling. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana established the total, while Charani and Deepti Sharma dismantled Sri Lanka’s chase.
Both victories also demonstrated an important feature of modern T20 cricket: strong starts can determine the direction of a match, but maintaining pressure through the middle overs is equally important.
Read: Afghanistan vs India 1st T20I 2026 | Mahadev Book vs Fairplay vs Laser247 vs Lotus365 | Mahadev Book vs Sky Exchange | Mahadev Book vs Reddy Anna Book | 7 Ways to Get Help from Mahadev Book Customer Support
What Mahadev Book Readers Can Take From These Matches
For cricket followers tracking matches through Mahadev Book, these two games provide several useful analytical points.
Powerplay performance matters. India Men’s 82/1 powerplay against Afghanistan created the foundation for a rapid chase. India’s Women also used their opening partnership to build pressure before accelerating.
Middle-over bowling can change matches. India’s spinners restricted Afghanistan and then produced another decisive performance against Sri Lanka Women.
Top-order aggression creates pressure. Abhishek Sharma’s 82 from 32 balls demonstrated how quickly a T20 chase can move away from the opposition.
Wickets remain crucial. Afghanistan’s collapse to 43/5 and Sri Lanka’s inability to maintain partnerships showed how quickly a batting innings can lose momentum.
These are useful factors to consider when analysing future matches, alongside pitch conditions, confirmed playing XIs, recent form and team combinations.
Final Takeaway
September 13 was a highly successful day for Indian cricket.
India Men’s seven-wicket victory over Afghanistan gave them a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series, with Abhishek Sharma producing the standout batting performance.
India Women then completed the day by defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Women’s Asia Cup final, securing their eighth title. Shafali Verma’s 68, Shree Charani’s four wickets and Deepti Sharma’s three-wicket spell were among the major highlights.
For Mahadev Book readers, both matches provided excellent examples of how T20 cricket can be shaped by explosive starts, quality spin bowling, fielding pressure and the ability to maintain momentum across 20 overs.
With India’s men’s team leading Afghanistan and the women’s team having just secured another continental title, Indian cricket heads into the next phase of its schedule with plenty of momentum.
Disclaimer
This article is intended for cricket news, match analysis and informational purposes. Match information and statistics are based on the cited Cricbuzz match coverage and may be updated as official records are revised. If participating in sports wagering where legally permitted, follow applicable laws and practise responsible gambling.
