Batting all-rounder Nitish returned with figures of 3/24 in his three overs as the Indian bowlers produced the middle-over squeeze, conceding just 64 from overs seventh to 14 to leave the Afghans at 105 for six in 15 overs.
It was Mohammad Nabi (20) and Rashid Khan (28) who added crucial 48 runs off 28 balls to take them to a decent total in the end.
After India opted to bowl, Jasprit Bumrah gave India the perfect start with a first-over maiden to Ibrahim Zadran (37).
Arshdeep Singh reaped the reward as well, as two balls into the second over, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (0) was out while attempting to a flat-bat shot, only to miscue it, with Ravi Bishnoi, who came in for an injured Varun Chakaravarthy, safely pouching the catch at mid-on.
Zadran carted the first two deliveries from Bumrah for boundaries through mid-on and deep midwicket.
Arshdeep was next hit for two boundaries on either side of the wicket by Zadran before Sediqullah Atal (12) glided one fine of the wicket for another four as Afghanistan recovered.
Axar Patel and Ravi Bishnoi then conceded nine and eight runs respectively as Afghanistan reached 41 for one in the powerplay.
Afghanistan brought up their fifty in the eighth over but Nitish broke the partnership after Zadran was holed out to Bishnoi at deep midwicket.
Bishnoi then dismissed Atal, who hit straight to Tilak Varma at long-off, as Afghanistan slipped to 59 for three in the 10th over.
Nitish was again in action when he removed Gulbadin Naib, who got a top edge after swinging across the line, with Sanju Samson completing the catch.
Axar too could have registered his name on the wicket list had Bishnoi not dropped dangerman Azmatullah Omarzai. However, Axar did not have to wait long as he had Omarzai caught in his last over.
Darwish Rasooli, meanwhile, made the most of Shivam Dube’s over, launching him over deep midwicket. He hit another maximum off Axar before the bowler dismissed Omarzai as Afghanistan reached 100 for five in the 14th over.
Arshdeep returned to end Rasooli’s show, with Tilak taking a fine running catch at long-off.
Afghanistan could make only 64 runs in the middle overs from the seventh to the 15th but lost five wickets.
The ageless Nabi smashed a four and a six off Bishnoi as Afghanistan reached 116 for six in 16 overs.
The middle-overs squeeze left Nabi and Rashid to provide the late surge and they did just that, sharing 48 off 28 balls to take Afghanistan to a decent total.
Rashid too picked up fours off Bumrah and Arshdeep. He was particularly harsh on the left-arm seamer, creaming 16 runs with two fours and a six.
However, Bumrah removed Nabi in 19th over and then Nitish dismissed Rashid in the first ball of the last over, which yielded 11 runs.
