June 20th 2024.
In Bridgetown, the beautiful city of Barbados, the Indian cricket team led by captain Rohit Sharma has made a strategic change in their lineup for their first Super Eight match against Afghanistan in the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup. Left-arm wrist-spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, has been brought in to replace fast bowler Mohammed Siraj. Sharma won the toss and decided to have his team bat first at the Kensington Oval on Thursday.
India and Afghanistan have faced each other eight times in men's T20Is and India has emerged victorious every time. The last encounter between the two teams ended in a thrilling tie with both teams scoring 212 runs each. It took two Super Overs before India finally came out on top. With this record, India is confident going into this match.
Kuldeep did not play in India's previous matches in the USA due to the conditions being more suitable for fast bowlers. However, in the West Indies, where spinners are expected to excel as the game progresses, he is all set to make his T20 World Cup debut. This means India's bowling lineup will consist of three spinners, three pacers, and the occasional medium-pace of Shivam Dube.
Speaking about the pitch and conditions, Sharma mentioned that there is no grass on the pitch and it is expected to get slower as the game progresses. He also compared it to the conditions in New York, stating that it is better here. The Indian team has been in Barbados for a couple of days and has played a lot of cricket, allowing them to understand the conditions better. Sharma also mentioned that the early start of the match, unlike the usual evening start, is something they enjoy.
On the other hand, Afghanistan's captain Rashid Khan stated that they would have preferred to bat first. He also mentioned that their preparations have been good and they are facing strong teams in the tournament, so controlling their emotions and playing their natural game is key. Having played all their Group C matches in the Caribbean, Afghanistan is more familiar with the conditions compared to India, who will be playing their first match in this region.
The dimensions of the ground are 58m and 67m for the square boundaries and 70m for the boundary down the ground. In their previous matches, Afghanistan has played all four of their Group C matches in the Caribbean, giving them an advantage in terms of familiarity with the conditions. Both teams have announced their playing XIs, with India including Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Jasprit Bumrah. Afghanistan's lineup includes Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Both teams are ready for a tough battle on the field, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this highly-anticipated match.
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