India will now move on to Indore's Holkar Cricket Stadium to take on minnows Afghanistan in the second T20I of the ongoing bilateral series. Rohit Sharma-led Indian team are already up in the three-game series with 1-0. (Match Blog | More Cricket News)
The Afghanistan team are without their ace spinner, Rashid Khan, who is recovering after undergoing lower-back surgery. However, he is travelling with the team but will not feature in the matches. Young captain Ibrahim Zadran will try to learn from the previous defeat and lead the team positively.
India won the first match by six wickets and 15 balls to spare with Shivam Dube leading the chase of modest target of 159 runs. Dube made 60 runs off 40 balls and also took a crucial wicket of Afghan captain Ibrahim Zadran while bowling. He was named player of the match for his all-round performance.
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Afghanistan have some world-class spinners and batters in their team who play in various franchise cricket across the globe. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Qais Ahmad, and Noor Ahmad are among those spinners. They also have destructive batters like Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz who also have exposure to world-class bowling.
Star batter Virat Kohli will be available for selection for the second match. Captain Rohit Sharma made his comeback in the shortest format after almost 14 months and was dismissed for a duck following a horrible run-out in the first match. Both veterans will be eyeing to find rhythm in the T20Is as it is the only bilateral series before the start of the T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
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Before the start of the second T20I between India and Afghanistan, there will be some important key battles between the players of both teams that are worth looking out for. Three key battles of those are:-
1. Mohammad Nabi vs Mukesh Kumar
Mohammad Nabi played a great innings of 42 runs in just 27 balls in the first match, while other Afghan batters were scoring at a strike rate of around 100. His wicket was taken by Mukesh Kumar, who dismissed him with a wide delivery. Nabi, aged 39, is one of the most experienced and talented players in the Afghanistan team, and his dismissal could be a critical moment in the match. Mukesh Kumar has a variety of deliveries in his arsenal, and he could prove to be a dangerous bowler against Nabi in the second T20I.
2. Rohit Sharma vs Fazalhaq Farooqi
The Indian captain Rohit Sharma, is known for his ability to provide a quick start to the innings, while Fazalhaq Farooqi is generally called upon to bowl during the powerplay and at the death. Farooqi's slower and cutter balls can be particularly effective against Sharma, although the Indian captain is generally adept at facing left-arm bowlers. The battle between the destructive batsman and the clever bowler is sure to be an exciting one.
3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Arshdeep Singh
Arshdeep Singh is known for bowling in the first powerplay and the death overs. Gurbaz is a world-class destructive batter, who has an array of shots in his arsenal. If India manages to get Gurbaz out early in the game, it could make their path to victory much easier. However, if Gurbaz gets settled in and starts to play his shots, he can create serious problems for India. Arshdeep, being a left-arm pacer, is equipped with an excellent yorker delivery, which has caused problems for Afghan players in the past. The same strategy can be applied to tackle Gurbaz in the upcoming match as well.
