New Delhi: India captain Shreyas Iyer won praise for a warm gesture towards Afghanistan skipper Ibrahim Zadran after India completed a 3-0 T20I series sweep at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Despite India dominating the series, Iyer and his teammates invited Zadran to join them for a photograph with the trophy, giving the “Friendship Cup” tagline a memorable moment.

A video of the interaction has been circulating widely on social media. It shows Iyer and several Indian players asking Zadran to stand alongside them as the team posed for pictures following the third T20I.

The gesture came after India secured a comprehensive 127-run victory in the final match, but the post-match scene offered a different picture from the one-sided contest on the field.

Shreyas Iyer invites Ibrahim Zadran for trophy photo

After the conclusion of the third T20I, members of the Indian team gathered for photographs with the series trophy.

Rather than keeping the celebration limited to the home side, Iyer and his teammates called Afghanistan captain Ibrahim Zadran over to join them.

The moment was particularly notable because India had won all three matches of the series. The gesture reflected the friendly spirit associated with the “Friendship Cup” branding of the series.

Zadran was seen standing alongside the Indian players as they posed for the photograph. The interaction quickly attracted attention online, with fans highlighting the sportsmanship shown after a series that was heavily dominated by India.

The gesture also came after Zadran had spoken about Afghanistan’s need for greater exposure against leading international teams.

India complete 3-0 clean sweep

India entered the third T20I having already secured the series, but the hosts produced another commanding performance in the final match.

Batting first, India posted 221/7, setting Afghanistan a challenging target at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Abhishek Sharma was the standout performer, producing a stunning 108 off 34 balls. His innings included nine fours and 11 sixes and gave India the momentum to cross the 200-run mark.

Abhishek reached his half-century in only 16 balls before completing his century in 31 deliveries. His knock also set a new record for the fastest T20I hundred by a batter from a Test-playing nation, surpassing Rohit Sharma’s previous Indian mark of 35 balls.

Sanju Samson provided further support with a quick fifty. His 50 came from 35 balls, while the innings also took him to the milestone of 9,000 runs in T20 cricket.

Iyer and Shivam Dube contributed useful runs as India built a formidable total.

Afghanistan bowled out for 94

Afghanistan’s chase never gathered momentum after a promising start.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran initially gave the visitors some positive intent, but India soon began taking regular wickets and tightened its grip on the match.

Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for 94 in 14.1 overs, handing India a 127-run victory.

The result marked Afghanistan’s heaviest defeat in T20Is and their lowest total against India in the format.

India’s bowlers shared the wickets effectively. Ravi Bishnoi and Nitish Kumar Reddy claimed three wickets each, while Axar Patel took two wickets. Jasprit Bumrah and Yash Thakur also played important roles in breaking Afghanistan’s resistance.

The bowling performance ensured that India finished the series without allowing Afghanistan to register a win.

Ibrahim Zadran calls for more matches against top teams

Despite the defeat, Zadran said Afghanistan could improve with greater exposure to strong international opposition.

Speaking during the post-match presentation, the Afghanistan captain acknowledged that his side had struggled during the series but said there were signs of improvement in their approach during the powerplay.

“Definitely disappointed. We improved a little bit in the powerplay. Totally happy with the intent,” Zadran said.

He also pointed to the need to learn from situations where Afghanistan lost wickets in succession.

The captain said Afghanistan might struggle during some series as the team develops but stressed that maintaining positive intent would be important against international sides.

Afghanistan seeking greater T20I exposure

Zadran described the series as Afghanistan’s first T20I assignment since the T20 World Cup and said the team needed more opportunities to compete against leading teams.

“This is the first series for us in T20 after the World Cup. We need to play more games, more series especially against the biggest teams. That’s how we can improve,” he said.

He noted that Afghanistan also plays against teams such as Zimbabwe and Ireland, but argued that regular matches against the strongest sides would provide another level of learning and development.

His comments underline the difference in experience between the two teams and Afghanistan’s continuing efforts to strengthen its T20 cricket.

Friendship Cup gets a memorable ending

The series may have ended with India completing a convincing 3-0 sweep, but the post-match photograph involving Iyer and Zadran provided a lighter moment.

The “Friendship Cup” theme was reflected in the Indian captain’s decision to bring the opposing skipper into the trophy celebrations rather than treating the occasion solely as an Indian victory.

For Afghanistan, the series offered valuable experience against a leading international side. For India, it provided a successful end to the three-match contest and an opportunity for several players to make an impact.

The final result was emphatic, but the interaction between the two captains showed the sporting side of the contest.

A series marked by contrasting moments

On the field, India controlled the series from start to finish, winning all three matches and ending the final game with a 127-run margin.

Off the field, however, the players continued to share a cordial relationship. Iyer’s gesture towards Zadran after the final match became one of the most memorable images from the series.

As the video continues to circulate online, the photograph has drawn attention not because of the result, but because it captured a moment of camaraderie between the two teams after a competitive international series.

For Afghanistan, Zadran’s comments suggest that the team sees regular contests against stronger opponents as an important part of its development. For India, the 3-0 result capped a dominant series, while the post-match gesture added a fitting touch to the “Friendship Cup” theme.