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India completed a dominant 3-0 clean sweep over Afghanistan in the three-match T20I series, with their bowling unit playing a major role in all three victories. The hosts won the opening two matches by seven wickets each before securing a commanding 127-run victory in the third T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
While India’s batters grabbed plenty of headlines, particularly Abhishek Sharma after his record-breaking 108 in the final game, the bowlers consistently kept Afghanistan under pressure. Nitish Kumar Reddy emerged as the leading wicket-taker with six scalps, while Arshdeep Singh finished second with five. Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi and Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan all ended the series with four wickets each.
Here are the top three wicket-takers from the AFG vs IND 2026 T20I series:
Axar Patel completed the top three among the leading wicket-takers with four wickets from three matches. The left-arm spinner bowled 11 overs during the series and conceded runs at a controlled rate, while also contributing with the bat when required.
Axar’s first significant contribution came in the series opener, when he dismissed Gulbadin Naib after Afghanistan had lost early wickets. He also played a role in the dismissal of Ibrahim Zadran through a run-out, while his four-over spell cost only 27 runs.
The experienced all-rounder continued to provide control in the second and third T20Is. His ability to bowl economically through the middle overs allowed India to rotate their pace options while maintaining pressure on Afghanistan’s batters.
Axar eventually finished with four wickets, level with Ravi Bishnoi and Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan. However, his three-match involvement and consistent role throughout the series put him among India’s leading wicket-takers.
Arshdeep Singh finished second on the wicket-taking charts with five wickets from two matches. Despite missing the third T20I, the left-arm pacer made a significant impact during his appearances.
His standout performance came in the opening T20I, where he claimed 3/19 from four overs. Arshdeep’s disciplined spell helped India restrict Afghanistan to 156/8 after the visitors had recovered through a partnership between Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi.
Arshdeep’s variations were particularly effective. He dismissed Sediqullah Atal during the Powerplay before returning to remove Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan later in the innings. His final figures of 3/19 also included 16 dot balls, demonstrating how effectively he combined wicket-taking ability with control.
He then added two more wickets in the second T20I as India took an unassailable 2-0 lead. His five wickets from only eight overs left him just one scalp behind Nitish in the overall series standings.
Nitish Kumar Reddy finished the series as the leading wicket-taker with six wickets from three matches. The seam-bowling all-rounder bowled nine overs across the series and averaged 13.16 runs per wicket, underlining his effectiveness whenever captain Shreyas Iyer turned to him.
Nitish made an immediate impact in the second T20I after struggling to contain Afghanistan in the series opener. He dismissed captain Ibrahim Zadran with the first ball of his spell, removing a batter who had made 37 from 33 deliveries. He subsequently added more wickets to finish with an important contribution as India restricted Afghanistan to 159/8.
His best performance came in the third T20I, when he returned figures of 3/25 from four overs. Afghanistan were bowled out for just 94 while chasing 222, and Nitish’s three-wicket haul was a key part of India’s comprehensive victory.
Beyond the numbers, Nitish’s value came from providing India with a reliable seam-bowling option without compromising the batting depth. His six wickets were the most by any bowler in the series.
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