India is all set to kick off the Super 8 phase of their T20 World Cup journey with a nailbiting encounter against Afghanistan. With each team notching up three wins in their groups they will now clash in Barbados on Thursday June 20.
Following a challenging stint in New York the Indian batters are excited about the prospect of playing in the West Indies known for their batterfriendly pitches. They will however face a tough challenge from Afghanistans spinners and the inform pacer Fazalhaq Farooqui.
Afghanistan lost their previous game against the West Indies, but they have a greater understanding of the conditions than India and would undoubtedly want to capitalize on that edge.
On that point, let’s take a look at three match-ups that could determine which club draws first blood in Group 1 of the Super 8 stage:
3. Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Jasprit Bumrah
Afghanistan starter Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s dazzling form has been a major cause for the team’s competitive performances in the competition thus far. He is now the best run-scorer, with 167 runs from four matches and a strike rate of 150.45.
India will understand that the onus is on Gurbaz to get Afghanistan off to a flying start again, and they may need to use their trump card, Jasprit Bumrah, early in the game. Bumrah is arguably in top form and could be too much for Gurbaz if the fresh ball is available early on.
2. Virat Kohli vs Fazalhaq Farooqi
The discussion surrounding Virat Kohli potentially opening in the T20 World Cup has become a hot topic. Evaluating the viability of this change has grabbed the cricket communitys attention. Kohli a remarkable performer who excelled with 741 runs as an opener in IPL 2024 now faces a stark disparity with a mere five runs in three innings at the same position.
Fazalhaq Farooqi the standout Afghan bowler has taken the tournament by storm dominating the wickets table with an astounding 12 scalps across just four matches. His ability to swing the ball elegantly and unleash unexpected variations presents a formidable challenge for Kohli right at the outset.
However, Kohli gets a favorable matchup against Farooqi, which is excellent news for the Men in Blue. Kohli has scored 37 runs off the 16 balls he has faced from Farooqi in T20Is, and this might be the game in which the star hitter lives up to the standards he has set over time.
1. Rishabh Pant vs Rashid Khan
Rishabh Pant’s surprise shift to No. 3 has paid off for India, and the Men in Blue are likely to continue allowing the southpaw to express himself. His 96 runs in three innings on a challenging pitch in New York would have given him a lot of confidence and made him arguably the biggest threat to Afghanistan’s bowling.
The Indian wicketkeeper will not hold back against great spinners, and his match versus Rashid Khan would prove particularly exciting. Pant has scored 113 runs in 100 balls against the star spinner in T20 cricket and has been removed twice.
Rashid Khan has a little advantage in this matchup, but it will come down to who takes the initiative on the day.
