By India will be cautious of Afghanistan’s strong bowling attack and won’t underestimate them in their Super Eight match in Barbados.
Match Details
- Who: Afghanistan vs India
- What: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Super Eight
- When: Thursday, June 20, 10:30 AM local time (14:30 GMT)
- Where: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
- How: Follow Al Jazeera’s live coverage
Overview
India and Afghanistan face different challenges as they meet in their T20 World Cup Super Eight match at Kensington Oval. Afghanistan has excelled in their group matches in the Caribbean, with their bowlers and openers leading them to three wins out of four games.
Afghanistan’s Challenge
Rashid Khan’s team faces its toughest test against the top-ranked T20 team, India. The Afghan bowlers will need to handle India’s powerful middle-order batting lineup.
Coach’s Perspective
Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott believes his team will not be intimidated by the occasion or the opponents and will treat it like any other game.
“We still have our best game ahead of us, and hopefully, that’s tomorrow,” Trott told reporters. He acknowledged India as favorites, but said this could add pressure on Rohit Sharma’s team. “We are perceived as underdogs but are fully prepared and ready for the battle,” Trott added.
Targeting Virat Kohli
Trott mentioned India’s star batter Virat Kohli, who has scored only five runs in three games. He emphasized that while Kohli’s recent form is noted, all Indian batters are threats. “Anyone on their day can take the game away from you,” he said.
India’s Strategy
India’s head coach Rahul Dravid praised Afghanistan’s performance and called them “a very dangerous team” in the T20 format.
“They are deservedly in the Super Eights, and we will not treat them any differently than any other team,” Dravid said. He mentioned that India would be flexible in their approach based on the situation and ground conditions.
Bowling Threat
India is aware of the challenge posed by Afghanistan’s bowling attack, led by Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rashid Khan.
“Their bowlers are highly sought after in different leagues around the world,” Dravid said. He believes India has the skills, balance, and depth to counter their bowling.
Pitch Condition and Toss
The pitch at Barbados hasn’t favored high scores, with only one team crossing the 200-run mark. Teams winning the toss have chosen to field first in all five games at the venue.
Weather Forecast
The weather is expected to be rain-free with partial cloud cover and humid conditions.
Head-to-Head
India leads 7-0 against Afghanistan in T20 matches, with one game ending in a “no result.” India won their last T20 series against Afghanistan 3-0 in January and their last T20 World Cup encounter in 2022 by a massive 101 runs.
Form Guide
Both teams have won three out of four matches in the tournament, but India remains unbeaten while Afghanistan faced a heavy defeat by West Indies in their last game.
- Afghanistan: L W W W W
- India: W W W W W
Afghanistan Team News
Afghanistan is likely to field the same team that played against West Indies.
Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan (captain), Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik.
India Team News
India is expected to stick with the same playing XI from their last match against the USA, despite considering playing leg-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
