IND vs AFG 1st T20 Match Prediction & Betting Tips
A three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan gets underway on Thursday evening in Mohali. With the 2024 T20 World Cup coming up in June in the Caribbean, both teams are approaching this series with plenty of focus. Read on as we preview this clash. The evening T20I begins at 19:00 local time at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium.
India will be targeting the T20 World Cup later this year and they already have a very strong group of players who they will be looking to get plenty of match practice alongside each other over the coming months. The hosts will be very confident of going 1-0 up in the series.
Afghanistan play a brand of no-fear cricket across all formats and impressed in India during the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Although they are without their world class spinner Rashid Khan for this game, they will still look to take the game to India.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20 Match Live Streaming
TV channels: This game will be broadcast on Sports18.
Live Streaming: You can live-stream the match on JioCinema.
IND vs AFG Match Toss Prediction
Four of the last six and the last three T20Is in Mohali have been won by the team batting second so we predict that both teams will choose to field first in this game.
IND vs AFG Pitch Report
There will be turn from this IS Bindra Stadium pitch so the spinners will fancy their chances on this surface. However, it is a good batting wicket with a par score over 190.
Mohali Weather Report
Clear skies are forecast throughout Thursday evening for this game in Mohali. There will be high humidity but the temperature will be under 14 degrees in the second half of the match.
Read on for team previews, betting tips, latest odds, and match prediction for India vs Afghanistan 1st T20 2024
India Team News & Playing 11
IND Team News
Rohit Sharma returns to captain the T20I side as India ramp up their preparations for the 2024 T20 World Cup in June. With the exception of the injured Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, and the rested Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, India have picked their strongest possible squad.
IND Key Players
- Rohit Sharma - After defeat in the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final, the 36 year old opener will be keen to secure his place in the side with the goal of leading his country to success later this year.
- Rinku Singh - Rinku Singh has been getting a lot of attention lately for his brilliant batting style. He is playing a role of finisher quite well. In just 12 T20Is, Rinku Singh has smashed 262 runs at a strike rate of 180.68.
- Shubman Gill - Shubman Gill has smashed 312 runs at a strike rate of 145.11 in the T20I format. We are backing him to smash a high-scoring knock at his home ground.
- Kuldeep Yadav - The 29 year old left-arm wrist spinner has taken 58 wickets in T20Is and comes into the match with a strike-rate of 12.4.
- Arshdeep Singh - The left-arm medium fast bowler comes into this series with plenty of confidence after performing very well during the white ball series in South Africa last month.
IND Team Form
India have lost only three of their last 14 T20Is and beat Australia 4-1 in their last home T20I series last year.
India Predicted Playing 11
Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan
Afghanistan Team News & Playing 11
AFG Team News
Full-time skipper Rashid Khan has been ruled out of the series as he is still recovering from lower-back surgery. In his absence, Ibrahim Zadran will lead the side. Ibrahim Zadran will captain the side as he did against the UAE last month.
AFG Key Players
- Ibrahim Zadran - The skipper has hit three half-centuries in T20Is and has an excellent ODI record for his country. He scored 59 in the first T20I against the UAE.
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz - The 22 year old right-handed keeper-batter finished 2023 in very strong form for both his country and in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.
- Naveen-ul-Haq - The right-arm medium fast bowler took wickets with his first two balls in his last T20I before ending the game with figures of 4/20.
- Qais Ahmad - The 23 year old leg-spinner will be the head spinner for Afghanistan in this match and he took six wickets across the three matches against the UAE last month.
- Noor Ahmad - Left-arm wrist spinner can be difficult to play for the Indian batting line-up. He has picked 74 wickets in 73 T20 matches so far at a strike rate of 21.7. He will be a crucial bowler at this pitch which offers help to the spinners.
AFG Team Form
Afghanistan come into this series with no defeat from their last three T20Is and three wins from their last five.
Afghanistan Predicted Playing 11
Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Qais Ahmad, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
India vs Afghanistan Head to Head
This will be the sixth time that India and Afghanistan have gone head to head in a T20I. So far, India have won four with a no-result in their last meeting.
IND vs AFG Head to Head Stats in T20s
| |
Matches Played |
IND Won |
AFG Won |
Tie |
NR |
| Overall |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Last 5 |
5 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
India vs Afghanistan Betting Odds
India are favourites to get off to a winning start in this series and can be backed at 1.13. According to the bookies, Afghanistan are 5.00 to go 1-0 up.
Who will win India vs Afghanistan 1st T20 Match?
As is the case in most series when India rest a large number or small number of players, the depth they have means they are still able to select a very strong team. Afghanistan will be competitive but we expect India to be superior with bat, ball and in the field.
🏆 India vs Afghanistan Prediction
Both teams come into this match with strong T20I form but Afghanistan will know when they arrive that beating India in any format at home is a very tough assignment. Afghanistan do have an opportunity to target India’s pace attack which is without some of their biggest names but the rest of India’s team is very nearly at full strength. Our prediction is for India to win this game.
India to beat Afghanistan in 1st T20
Jan 11, 2024
19:00 IST / 13:30 GMT
Punjab Cricket Association stadium - Mohali, India
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