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0.4 over (0 Run) This is bowled on a good length, around off, a bit of inward movement, Rahmanullah Gurbaz presses forward and defends it right under his eyeline towards cover.

0.3 over (0 Run) Drags his length back and slants it across the batter with an upright seam, outside off, a bit of extra bounce, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is a bit tentative as he looks to push it through the off side and gets beaten on the outside edge.

0.2 over (0 Run) Goes full in search of swing and gets the ball to tail back in, on middle and leg, at 130.6 clicks, Rahmanullah Gurbaz gets his pads out of the way and clips it firmly but straight to mid-wicket.

0.1 over (0 Run) Starts from over the wicket and bowls it on a back of a length, angling across the right-hander, outside off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz is happy to leave the ball alone.

Done and dusted with the pre-match formalities and it is now time to get the play underway! The umpires are out in the middle and so are the Indian players. Rahmat Shah is seen getting his maiden T20I cap having played over 100 ODI matches for Afghanistan. It will be the skipper, Ibrahim Zadran who will open the innings for Afghanistan alongside the dynamic Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Arshdeep Singh has the new ball in hand and is raring to get going on his home turf. Just a slight hold-up though as there is a small patch of blue led lights on the digital sightscreen right behind the bowler’s arm which is bothering Gurbaz. That blue area has been tapped now and we are finally ready to get going. Let’s play…

We are just a few minutes away from the start of the game but first, the two sets of players will walk out along with their mascots for the respective national anthems. It will be the national anthem of Afghanistan first, followed by the Indian national anthem.

The skipper of Afghanistan, Ibrahim Zadran says he would have liked to bowl first as well. States they will now try and execute the plans accordingly while batting first. He further says that it is a great opportunity to gather a lot of experience and set the momentum for the World Cup. Ends by informing that Noor Ahmad, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan and Mohammad Saleem are among the ones missing out.

Rohit Sharma, the captain of India, says that they will chase and there’s no particular reason and feels that the pitch will remain the same. Mentions that there is a lot to gain from this series as they don’t have much international T20 cricket leading up to the World Cup and he wasn’t part of the T20I side for the last year and he has been in contact with the coach as to what needs to be done but keeping everything in mind, winning is the most important thing. Informs that Sanju Samson, Avesh Khan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal who didn’t hold up well, and Kuldeep Yadav are the ones who miss out.

Afghanistan (Playing XI) – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmat Shah (On T20I debut), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

India (Playing XI) – Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar.

TOSS – The coin toss lands in the favour of Rohit Sharma and India have opted to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT – Deep Dasgupta is pitchside. He starts by saying that the dimensions are unique with long straight boundaries with the straight hit being 76 meters and the side boundaries being 65 meters and 67 meters. Nick Knight joins him and says that there is a nice tinge of green on it and there will be something in it early on for the quick bowlers and later on the spinners will flourish more. Adds that the Afghanistan spinners will be focusing more on the pace as they bowl quick and will be able to hurry the batters. Reckons that the team winning the toss should bat first as there won’t be dew but Deep Dasgupta says that chasing is the way to go.

India, on the other hand, aims to capitalize on this series, using it as a crucial opportunity to fine-tune their combination for the upcoming World Cup, especially given the absence of any more T20Is before the tournament. The return of powerhouses Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli injects excitement and strengthens the batting lineup, even with a few key players sidelined due to injuries. Despite a slightly inexperienced bowling unit, India will be keen on setting the right foot forward, looking to assert the threat that their bowling lineup has been known for in recent times. The series becomes a pivotal platform for India to prepare and build momentum leading up to the T20 World Cup. Will India successfully check all the boxes they intend to and commence the series with a victory, or will Afghanistan present additional challenges for the hosts? Let’s find out as Toss and team news come to you in a bit

Afghanistan come into this series with momentum from a successful campaign against UAE, where they demonstrated their collective strength and resilience. Under the leadership of Ibrahim Zadran, the squad appears robust on paper, ready to confront the hosts head-on. The return of Mujeeb Ur Rahman adds further strength to Afghanistan’s already potent bowling unit, which features the likes of Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Nabi and Naveen-ul-Haq. This combination presents a formidable challenge for the hosts in this exciting series, showcasing Afghanistan’s depth and variety in the bowling department.

Greetings and a warm welcome to the opening match of the 3-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. Brace yourselves for a captivating contest as two formidable teams set the stage for an essential series, especially with the T20 World Cup looming on the horizon.