The Afghan cricket team is back in India for a challenging 3-match T20I series against the men in blue, commencing on Wednesday. This series holds significant importance for both teams as they aim to finalize team combinations and player selections ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024.
The last bilateral series between Afghanistan and India occurred in 2018 when Afghanistan made its Test debut against India. The players are eager to showcase their skills against the formidable Indian team, featuring stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. However, Captain Ibrahim Zadran anticipates a formidable challenge in overcoming the Men in Blue on their home turf.
“Playing against India on their home soil is a difficult task, but we came here to play well against them and show our skills. We have lots of good T20 players, all our boys are playing good cricket, so I am sure they will play well. We will have a good series against India,” Zadran was quoted saying by Sportstar.
Afghanistan enters the series following a 2-1 victory against the United Arab Emirates. The team, led by Ibrahim Zadran, witnessed notable performances, including Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s maiden T20 century in the first match against the UAE. Additionally, Naveen-Ul-Haq and Fazalhaq Farooqi showcased positive contributions in the bowling department.
Despite the chilly weather, the captain is confident that dew won’t be a significant factor. Nevertheless, the Punjab Cricket Association has been applying anti-dew chemicals in the last few days to ensure proper pitch condition as the sides meet for the IND vs AFG 1st T20I on January 11th. .
It’s cold and we have been training for the last two days and there was no due…” he concluded.