In the third and final T20I match of the bilateral series, India will take on Afghanistan at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru today, January 17, at 7:00 PM IST.
A dead rubber will only have one purpose for Team India, to try and test bench strength. The Rohit Sharma-led side has already clinched the title with ease, with players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, and Arshdeep Singh showcasing their abilities to the fullest. A few changes can be expected tonight. Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, and Kuldeep Yadav might get a nod from the management, while the big guns Virat Kohli, and skipper Rohit will aim to strengthen their place amongst youngsters.
For Afghanistan, the team would like to finish the series with a win and with the match taking place at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, it cannot get better. To start off, the side would like to win the toss and opt to field, allowing themselves to chase any kind of total at this venue. Gulbadin Naib, Rahmanullah Gubaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and Mohammad Nabi were decent to good in the first two T20Is and will be hopeful to continue their efforts. With the ball, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, and co. will have a lot to do to calm the Indian batters.
Head-to-Head:
India and Afghanistan have faced each other seven times in T20I, with the former winning six of them and one ending without a result. The visitors are yet to win a game against the Men in Blue in the shortest format of the game.
Where to watch:
TV: Sports18
OTT: JioCinema