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On paper, Afghanistan seems to provide the kind of opportunity that Rohit Sharma's team needs to regroup after a challenging start in Chennai and before the emotionally charged weekend ahead. This observation is not meant to undermine Hashmatullah Shahidi's team or suggest that they cannot challenge the established order. More importantly, it's essential to recognize that this match carries the same weight in terms of points as the previous one and the upcoming one.
Even in the longer 50-over format, which can emphasize the differences in talent between teams and allow time for the stronger team to assert themselves, Afghanistan should not be underestimated. They earned their place in this tournament without having to go through a qualifier, won a bilateral series in Bangladesh (a place where India has faced recent difficulties), and were just a better understanding of the Net Run Rate (NRR) rules away from replacing eventual finalists Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup Super Four.
However, Afghanistan has not performed at the same level in major tournaments. It's worth noting that their first two ODI World Cups were held in Australia and England, conditions less suited to their spin-oriented style of play. Nevertheless, when the schedule for this tournament was created, Hashmatullah Shahidi likely saw this match in Delhi as an opportunity for Afghanistan to finally make their mark on the World Cup stage. There might even be a poetic parallel here. India secured their second World Cup match win in their third tournament when they defeated the dominant team of that era, and their fortunes changed dramatically from there. In this sense, Afghanistan might be slightly ahead of the curve. Four years ago, they came very close to upsetting India on a slow wicket in Southampton. However, to overcome their past World Cup shortcomings and achieve a better result this time, they will need to deliver a far stronger performance than their initial showing last week.
When: October 11, 2023, 2:00 PM IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Teams
India:
Mohammed Shami, who claimed a hat-trick in this particular match four years ago, is a viable option on this playing surface. However, if India chooses Shami, they must be willing to compromise their batting depth, especially in the wake of an unconvincing start against Australia. Consequently, they might contemplate the inclusion of Shardul Thakur instead. Regrettably, Shubman Gill remains unavailable after his recent hospitalization.
In terms of tactics and strategy, Considering Afghanistan's formidable spin attack, India may opt to adopt an aggressive approach against the fast bowlers. The responsibility to contribute significantly will likely fall upon Ishan Kishan, given the uncertainty surrounding Gill's availability.
Afghanistan:
Despite their loss in the opening match, Afghanistan is not inclined to make immediate changes to their lineup. However, they do have the option of introducing a left-arm wrist spinner like Noor Ahmad, who brings valuable experience and could be effective against India's predominantly right-handed batting order.
In terms of tactics and strategy, Fazalhaq Farooqi has been impressive, with 19 wickets in the PowerPlay since the beginning of 2022. He is only behind Mohammed Siraj (32) and Matt Henry (20) in this regard. Farooqi's left-arm angle, particularly against a top-order that has struggled with such bowlers in the past, could prove to be an important asset for Afghanistan in their efforts to limit India's scoring.
Squads:
India Squad: Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami, Suryakumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur
Afghanistan Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ikram Alikhil, Abdul Rahman, Riaz Hassan, Noor Ahmad
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