IND vs AFG Match Preview

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj exhibited exceptional accuracy and consistency in their bowling, effectively maintaining pressure on the opponents right from the outset. Meanwhile, the spinners consistently took wickets at regular intervals, preventing the opposing batsmen from settling into their rhythm.

India experienced an uncommon failure in their top-order as they embarked on the pursuit of a modest target of 200. Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Shreyas Iyer were all dismissed without scoring a run. However, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul delivered a remarkable performance, stabilizing the innings and guiding India towards victory.

Considering Shubhman Gill's unlikely fitness for Wednesday's match, it is anticipated that the playing eleven will remain unchanged. Overall, India possesses one of the most well-balanced teams and is prepared to face any challenge that comes their way. If the pitch resembles the one witnessed in the previous match in Delhi, there is a slight possibility that Suryakumar Yadav may replace Shreyas Iyer in the playing eleven.

Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz provided the team with a satisfactory start in their batting innings, with the latter emerging as the highest run-scorer for the team. However, as anticipated, the middle-order batting proved to be a weak point for Afghanistan, resulting in their collapse from a score of 111 for 2 to being all-out for 156.

Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, and Rahmat Shah have displayed inconsistency in their recent performances, and it is imperative for them to significantly improve their output if Afghanistan intends to compete against a high-quality team like India. While the conditions in Delhi may favor the batsmen due to a flat pitch and a small outfield, defeating the Indian team will require an exceptional effort.

The visitors will heavily rely on their formidable spin attack to deliver positive results in this match. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi were unable to take any wickets in the previous game, but they will be hopeful of turning the tide in their favor in this encounter.

Weather Report

The weather will remain quite warm, with temperatures of close to 35 degrees Celsius with plenty of sunshine. 

Pitch Report

The Arun Jaitley Stadium offers an excellent batting track. The previous match played here saw a total of 754 runs scored, which is the most for a World Cup game. The pitch is dry with very little bounce. There is very little in it for the bowlers and they will need to be very disciplined with the line and length.

Notable stats

Mohammad Siraj: Red Hot with the White Ball

Mohammed Siraj has had a sensational run in 2023. He has picked up 31 wickets in 2023 at a strike rate of 18.61. His bowling strike rate is the best among the bowlers who have picked up more than 20 wickets this year.

Team News

There are no updates regarding injuries from either side. Shubman Gill will continue to miss out on selection. 

 

IND vs AFG Probable 11

IND Playing 11

  • Rohit Sharma (C)
  • Ishan Kishan
  • Virat Kohli
  • Shreyas Iyer
  • KL Rahul (Wk)
  • Hardik Pandya
  • Ravindra Jadeja
  • Ravichandran Ashwin
  • Kuldeep Yadav
  • Jasprit Bumrah
  • Mohammed Siraj

AFG Playing 11

  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wk)
  • Ibrahim Zadran
  • Hashmatullah Shahidi (C)
  • Rahmat Shah
  • Najibullah Zadran
  • Azmatullah Omarzai
  • Mohammad Nabi
  • Rashid Khan
  • Mujeeb Ur Rahman
  • Naveen ul-Haq
  • Fazalhaq Farooqi
This is not the official playing 11 for the match. This is a prediction of the expected playing 11 for each team based on the writers analysis.

Dream11 Prediction

We are backing India to win this match. They are in excellent form at the moment and all the players are in good form. The team has plenty of variety in the bowling department too. On the other hand, Afghanistan's performance in the World Cup matches has been abysmal and they are unlikely to throw a surprise. 

 

Top Picks

Virat Kohli: Virat Kohli is the second-highest run-getter for India in ODI World Cups after Sachin Tendulkar. He has scored a total of 1115 runs at an average of 48.47.

Kuldeep Yadav: Kuldeep Yadav is the leading wicket-taker for India this year. He has picked up 35 wickets at an average of 16.31.

Ibrahim Zadran: Known for his explosive brand of batting, Zadran has scored 933 runs at an average of 51.83 and a strike rate of 84.43. 

 

IND vs AFG Dream11 Team 1

Keeper: R Gurbaz, L Rahul, I Zadran

Batters: V Kohli (C), R Sharma

All-rounders: M Nabi, R Jadeja (VC)

Bowlers: Rashid-Khan, M Siraj, J Bumrah, K Yadav

IND vs AFG Dream11 Prediction - OCB Team Prediction