As the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi prepares to welcome the opening T20I of the three-match series, the age-old rivalry between India and Afghanistan is set to unfold. Although India has won eight out of the previous nine matches against the visitors, the clashes between the two sides have always produced thrilling contests – like the famous double 'super over' tie a few months ago.

While fireworks in the batting department have always grabbed the limelight, it is the bowlers who have more often than not proven to be decisive in these encounters.

Here are the top five bowling performances between India and Afghanistan in T20Is

1.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (5-4, Dubai, 2022)

Finally, we have the best bowling figures of Bhuvneshwar Kumar's career, as he bowls out the entire Afghan innings in Dubai. Following Virat Kohli's record-breaking century, Kumar sent back Zazai and Gurbaz for a combined total of 7 runs in the first over.

The mystery spinner then returned for the sixth over and dismissed Karim Janat, Najibullah, and Omarzai to finish with a staggering 5-4. In the process, Afghanistan was left reeling at 21-6, with Kumar's 5-4 being the best bowling figures in the history of this fixture.

2. Jasprit Bumrah (3-7, Bridgetown, 2024)

Jasprit Bumrah was the architect behind India's win in this year's World T20 as he accounted for the entire top order in Bridgetown. Having posted a healthy 181 for the home team, Bumrah then removed opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz to start his over in the 14th over.

The right-armer followed it up by dismissing Hazratullah Zazai and Najibullah Zadran in his final two balls to complete a maiden. In doing so, Bumrah improved his own records with figures of 3-7 in four overs, with his efforts seeing Afghanistan's chase fold at an alarming rate.

3. Washington Sundar (3-18, Bengaluru, 2024)

Another Indian spinner saw the job done in the second half of the same Bangalore super-over thriller that saw Ahmad's 3-20. Wicketkeeper/bowler Washington Sundar played a pivotal role in restricting Afghanistan's explosive middle-order, as he picked up a remarkable 3-18 from his three completed overs.

Sundar sent back half-centuries from Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, and the dangerous Mohammad Nabi to turn the game back in India's favour. Despite the visitors' efforts to tie the scores, it was the off-spinner who laid the foundation for the thrilling tie.

4. L Balaji (3-19, Colombo, 2012) & Ashish Nehra (3-19, Gros Islet, 2010)

One opening bowler is the same; two different stories unfold as two Indian pacemen take apart the same opposition with identical figures.

In the 2012 World T20 in Colombo, L Balaji showed his class by claiming a scalp every 3.3 overs, as he bowled out Afghanistan's 160 target with a well-timed 3-19 in 3.3 overs. The spinner removed the dangerous Mohammad Shahzad, Gulbadin Naib, and Dawlat Zadran to wrap up the chasing team's innings.

A similar spell of 3-19 came on the 2010 T20 World Cup in Gros Islet, as Ashish Nehra picked up where he left off against the same opponents. Nehra sent back Karim Sadiq and Shahzad in the second over before returning to dismiss the well-set Noor Ali Zadran for 50. With the game already in the bag, the seamer was awarded Player of the Match honors for his 3-19 spell that saw Afghanistan post just 139, as India eventually won with a seven-wicket margin.

5. Fareed Ahmad (3-20, Bengaluru, 2024)

Afghanistan's left-arm pacer delivered a blistering spell of pace in January 2024, as his side chased down a mammoth target in a high-scoring Bangalore thriller. Tasked to open the attack, Ahmad sent the Indian top order carting off at the first change, as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, and Sanju Samson all fell cheaply. Having restricted the hosts to 22-4 inside the powerplay, his efforts were eventually rewarded with a befitting ovation as Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh accelerated to a gutsy 212. However, it was mainly the early loss of the three crucial wickets that laid the foundation for the thrilling Super Over tie.