In the first T20I of the three-match bilateral series, India will take on Afghanistan at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali today, January 11, at 7:00 PM IST.
The Indian team is back to the format that matters most in the context of the World Cup that will be hosted in the USA and West Indies a few months later. For the T20Is against Afghanistan, the team has once again recalled Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in preparation for the World Cup in June. While Virat will miss out on the first match, Rohit will lead the team, which also includes Sanju Samson, Shubman Gill, and left-handers such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma and Axar Patel. Rohit’s inclusion means Gill will have to play at no. three tonight and subsequently, after Virat’s inclusion, the Punjab-based batter will have to sit out. Not to forget, with the ball, Kuldeep Yadav alongside Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, and Arshdeep Singh will also be crucial, as only a few of them might get picked for the biggest of occasions.
On the other hand, Afghanistan will miss out on their biggest player, Rashid Khan, due to injury. Nonetheless, from now until the T20 World Cup, they will play nine T20Is. Thus, there’s still time to put the finishing touches on the first-choice XI. The desire of Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman to be liberated from their central contracts and play franchise cricket caused a hitch for Afghanistan last month. However, all three have returned to the national squad and are anticipated to be key players. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi and others are also part of the setup and will aim to get a perfect start to their 2024 campaign.
Head-to-Head:
Both nations faced each other in five T20I matches, in which India won four, whereas one match ended without a result. Afghanistan are yet to clinch a game against India.
Where to watch:
TV: Sports18
OTT: JioCinema