After a relatively successful African safari, here comes the final assignment of Mission T20 World  Cup 2024 - a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.

And, as a much-needed boost to the team, the Hitman RETURNS to the T20I cricket after a gap of over 400 days. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? Over 400 days without the iconic ‘pull shot’ in a 20-overs game for India, oh, we have missed it.

The record-breaker, the icon, the legend is now 43 runs shy from being the Indian captain with the most T20I runs in history, and Rohit Sharma will look to do it in style against an opponent that has the license to produce some out-of-the-blue surprises on the field often.

Besides the Hitman, all eyes will be on Tilak Varma - the prodigious cricketer who recently powered Hyderabad to victory as a batter and a captain in the Ranji Trophy - to make light work of the Afghani bowlers and stamp his spot come the 2024 World Cup squad.

What’s more? The Paltan will also witness our latest recruit, Mohammed Nabi, in action, although in Afghanistan colours. The experienced all-rounder is poised to give a strong exhibition of what the MI fans can expect from him in IPL 2024.

What: India vs Afghanistan, three-match T20I series

When: January 11 - January 17, 2024

Where: 1st T20I (Mohali), 2nd T20I (Indore), 3rd T20I (Bengaluru).

What to expect: Hitman in action and breaking records, Tilak Varma breaking TV sets, an all-round show from Mohammed Nabi and India acing their final T20I bilateral assignment before T20 World Cup 2024 in style.

What you need to do: Use the same energy and the same intensity from India’s tour of South Africa to cheer and empower India to win their first home assignment of 2024. Let every moment in the game - a shot, a catch or a wicket - see you pour out your love and engulf the stadiums in an ocean of Blue.

India vs Australia: Numbers crunch

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicket-keeper), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan.