India vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I: Visitors aim to salvage pride
Afghanistan's hopes of winning the T20I series against India were crushed as the hosts won two consecutive matches to seal the series. However, the visitors will play for pride in the third and final T20I in Bengaluru on January 17. Afghanistan have shown some positivity in the first two matches, but a complete performance still eludes them. Here's the match preview.
A look at the head-to-head record
India and Afghanistan have met in only seven T20Is as of now. While India remain unbeaten with six wins, one of these games was washed out. The two sides have locked horns thrice in the T20 World Cup and once in the Asia Cup. Last year, the India-Afghanistan final at the Asian Games (men's T20 competition) had no result.
Here are the key details
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium will host the third T20I between the two teams on January 17. It is a great batting surface, and the short dimensions make it difficult to defend scores. Five batting-first teams have won the T20Is here from nine encounters. Sports18 will telecast the match, while JioCinema will allow fans to live-stream it from 7:00pm IST.
India's record at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in T20Is
India have a mixed T20I record at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. They have played seven matches at this venue, having won and lost three matches each. One game was washed out. The highest T20I score at this venue was when India hammered 202/6 against England in 2017. India also defended the lowest total here - 146/7 against Bangladesh in 2016.
Kohli owns over 3,000 T20 runs at Chinnaswamy Stadium
Virat Kohli has played 96 T20 games at this venue, returning with 3,116 runs at an average and strike rate of 38.95 and 141.50, respectively. His tally includes 23 fifties and four tons. 2,700 of Kohli's T20 runs at Chinnaswamy have come in the IPL. In T20Is, Kohli boasts 116 runs across five outings. The tally includes a 72* against Australia (2019).
India may give opportunities to others
India may look to shuffle their squad and give opportunities to fringe players like Sanju Samson, Avesh Khan, and Kuldeep Yadav. They may opt to play Kuldeep alongside Ravi Bishnoi, replacing Washington Sundar. While Avesh can also be unleashed in place of Mukesh Kumar. However, India may also prioritize maintaining the winning momentum and may eventually decide to not tinker with the combination.
A look at the probable starting XIs
India Probable XI: Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, and Mukesh Kumar. Afghanistan Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Here are the key performers
Dube has been in splendid form in this series, having scored 60* and 63* in the first two matches. Axar has returned with 2/23 and 2/17 in the two matches. Kohli has amassed 201 runs in four T20Is against Afghanistan at 100.50. Gulbadin hammered a fine fifty in the last game. Meanwhile, Mujeeb and Janat have scalped two wickets each in the series.
Dream11 team predictions
Option 1: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Yashasvi Jaiswal (c), Virat Kohli, Mohammad Nabi, Axar Patel (vc), Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Shivam Dube, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ravi Bishnoi, and Arshdeep Singh. Option 2: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli (c), Mohammad Nabi (vc), Axar Patel, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Kuldeep Yadav, and Arshdeep Singh.
