Afghanistan will host India for an international series for the very first time. The three-match T20I series will be played from September 13 onwards, and all the games will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Afghanistan had recently come to India for one Test and three ODI matches, losing all the games to Men in Blue. This T20I series will see stars from both sides in action, and some battles will happen. There have been some rivalries, and we will see the three best player battles in AFG v IND T20Is.
Here are the 3 player battles to watch out for in the AFG vs IND T20I series:
3. Jasprit Bumrah v Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the best Afghanistan batter in T20Is and has more than 2000 runs in 81 games, with one century and 13 fifties. He will be tasked with giving Afghanistan flying starts and taking on the best bowler of the opposition.
And that bowler is expected to be Jasprit Bumrah, who is slated for his return from a knee injury. Bumrah, a two-time T20 World Cup winner, has been named in the India squad for this series and the Asian Games as well. Expect him to counter Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s aggression with the bat and give India an advantage.
2. Abhishek Sharma v Naveen Ul Haq
Abhishek Sharma has been giving fiery starts to India since his debut in 2024. He has 1629 runs in 56 games with 2 centuries and 11 fifties, with a strike rate of 187.24 and a best score of 163.50. Sharma will look to hammer Afghan bowlers right from the start and give India a good platform in the powerplay.
Naveen Ul Haq will be returning from injury, and his ability to take the ball away from left-handers will come in handy when he bowls to Abhishek Sharma. Naveen Ul Haq has very good numbers in T20Is, with 67 wickets in 48 games, with a best of 4/20. Naveen will be the go-to bowler for Afghanistan to keep India’s openers quiet.
1. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi v Rashid Khan
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be playing against Afghanistan for the very first time in T20Is. The 15-year-old, after a difficult debut against England, showcased his true talents against Zimbabwe. He hammered two fifties and won Player of the Series. He will love batting on the Delhi pitch against Afghan bowlers and has the licence to hit as per his wishes without the pressure to score big.
The best counter for Suryavanshi should be the great Rashid Khan. His quick wrist spin might put Vaibhav in some trouble. He has 193 wickets in 115 games in the format, with a best bowling of 5/3 and an economy of 6.04. Khan will get help from the Delhi Pitch and might bowl early to stop Sooryavanshi from rampaging.
