An attacking 57 by Gulbadin Naib and some late cameos helped Afghanistan to 172 all out against India's persistent bowling attack in the second Twenty20 international on Sunday.
Star batsman Virat Kohli returned to the Indian T20 team after more than a year's absence from the format and the hosts elected to field first in Indore.
Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh took three wickets, while spinners Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi picked up two each as India sought to clinch the three-match series after their win in the opener.
Naib, a top-order batsman, took the attack to the opposition in his 35-ball knock laced with five fours and four sixes.
He raised his fourth T20 half-century for Afghanistan but fell against the run of play when Patel got the batsman caught at short mid-wicket by skipper Rohit Sharma.
Wickets kept tumbling, but Najibullah Zadran (23 off 21 balls), Karim Janat (10-ball 20) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (21 off nine) boosted the Afghanistan total.
The last over from Arshdeep brought four wickets including two run outs as Afghanistan were bowled out on the final ball.
But with Kohli, who last played a T20 for India in November 2022, back in the team, the hosts would fancy their winning target of 173.