Team India will be locking horns with off against Afghanistan in their third league stage game, at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi on November 3. Nothing has gone in India’s favor as they have lost their second consecutive game of the tournament, and are currently standing second last on the points table. On the other hand, Afghanistan has won two big wins of their three matches so far, and are standing second to only the unbeaten Pakistan.
After Pakistan defeated the men in blue by 10 wickets in the first game, New Zealand hunted down India by 8 wickets in the second game in Dubai. The two teams have faced each other just a couple of times in T20Is and India managed to win both of those matches. The last time they met in this format, India emerged victorious by 23 runs at Colombo. Afghanistan’s win over New Zealand is the only condition that can open up Group 2 for India and Afghanistan as well.
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It will take no less than a miracle for India to proceed ahead from this stage. Having such an impressive Net Run Rate, if Afghanistan somehow manages to pull off an upset against India, the game between New Zealand and Afghanistan will become a quarter-final kinda match, and the winner will transcend ahead to the semis, alongside Pakistan.
India
Suryakumar Yadav had some back spasms and missed the game against New Zealand. Ahead of this game, batting coach Vikram Rathour said all 15 players were available for selection, given the short turnaround for this clash, Suryakumar could be an unlikely starter. Afghanistan will look to hit out in the PowerPlays and at the death. On the other hand, India, who have had wicket-taking troubles in the PowerPlay, will hope to dictate terms with the ball through this phase.
Probable XI: Ishan Kishan, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy
Afghanistan
Bowling allrounder Sharafuddin Ashraf has been brought into the squad for the replacement of Asghar Afghan, who had announced retirement with immediate effect. Mujeeb Ur Rahman missed the last game with an injury and an update on his injury status hasn’t been forthcoming. Rashid Khan has dismissed KL Rahul thrice, Rohit Sharma, and Hardik Pandya twice without giving away much. The players who have played him relatively better, Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant, have been dismissed twice each by Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Probable XI: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Usman Ghani, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (c), Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat/Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan, Naveen Ul Haq
Fantasy Suggestion #1:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rishabh Pant, Najibullah Zadran, KL Rahul (c), Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Naveen ul Haq, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), and Varun Chakravarthy
Fantasy Suggestion #2:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (vc), Rishabh Pant, Hazratullah Zazai, KL Rahul (c), Rohit Sharma, Mohammad Nabi, Ravindra Jadeja, Rashid Khan, Naveen ul Haq, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami
