Afghanistan and India lock horns once again, this time facing each other in the shortest format of the game for the ‘Friendship Cup’. The last meeting ended with India dominating the ODI series 3-0 in June. This time around…three T20I matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium and a new chapter begins with Afghanistan as hosts. Skipper Shreyas Iyer will be leading the charge, alongside plenty of explosive batters and a bowling attack which is loaded with variety… India arrives with plenty of experience plus youth in their camp. The game moves with quick pace, the risks are bigger and the smallest opening can very well become the ultimate match winning moment.

India have always dominated over rivals Afghanistan when it comes to T20 cricket. Both sides have faced each other nine times. India have secured eight victories, while one match ended without a result. Walking down memory lane, one of the greatest T20I matches played between these two sides took place in January 2024 where the Men in Blue won after a double super over in Bengaluru.

Upfront, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma will look to dictate the tempo early on once they are set with their aggressive batting display. Shreyas Iyer will bring in the middle-order experience and the ability to manipulate spin. The man who has been in tremendous form off late, Tilak Varma gives India the left-handed option in the middle, capable of stabilizing, controlling an innings and shifting gears when necessary.

Ishan Kishan after leading his side East Zone to a Duleep Trophy victory recently will be eager to shine with the bat and gloves turning the stadium into his own playground. Sanju Samson returned to the squad, adding his own dynamic batting-wicketkeeping experience. All-rounders Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar add a lot of depth to the team. Varun Chakaravarthy brings his mystery variations in the middle while India’s trump card Jasprit Bumrah will bring in his tremendous experience with the new ball, and yorkers during the death overs.

The iconic venue in Delhi will reward clean striking, while the surface could very well offer some kind of assistance to spinners later in the contest. The team batting first will have to put up a good score on the board because if dew does arrive, chasing could prove to be a breeze.

This series promises to be an interesting contest between these two competitive sides. The Afghan’s will be looking to secure their first ever men’s T20I win over India while the Men in Blue will be aiming to maintain their dominance in the head-to-head record. The stage is set; the players are looking to give more than their hundred percent and Paltan is ready to roar. 

Squads:

Team India

Shreyas Iyer (C), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah.

Team Afghanistan

Ibrahim Zadran (C), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharoti, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Noor ul Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Mujeen Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Abdullah Ahmadzai.

Afghanistan versus India T20Is schedule