Samson's 57 seals series as India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets

Sanju Samson answered his critics with a match-winning 57 off 22 balls as India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in the second T20I on Tuesday, sealing the three-match series with a game to spare. The victory in Chennai came after a selection debate that had intensified following Samson's 10-run dismissal in the first match, which India also won. Samson's explosive innings, his first international fifty since the T20 World Cup final, anchored India's chase of 160. He reached his half-century in just 21 balls, hitting six fours and three sixes, and was dismissed with India at 99 for two after 7 overs. Abhishek Sharma contributed 38 as the hosts completed the chase in 14.5 overs. The win was set up by India's bowlers, with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy taking three wickets for 24 runs to restrict Afghanistan to 159 for eight. The result gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, with the final match scheduled for September 17. The selection of Samson to open had been a major talking point after he was chosen ahead of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the first T20I in Delhi.