Team India look for full two points against inexperienced Afghanistan in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019
Date & Time : 22 June 2019, 3:00 PM IST
Venue : Hampshire Bowl, Southampton
Team India fresh from a convincing victory over Pakistan and maintaining their 100% record against them in world cups will now be looking to continue playing their brand of cricket to outplay teams as they move forward to their dream of becoming world champions.
All hard teams done now, mostly and here comes a slightly lesser team. Afghanistan are the next opponents and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Two points are all but a guarantee from this game for India and hopefully the weather will help.
Batsmen are in good touch and Bowling and Fielding will also be on the agenda for a complete performance.
On the other hand, Afghanistan as a side despite having the likes of Rashid Khan just have found the toughness of playing at the World Cup and competing with the best in the game. They will improve by time.
Not any pushovers but still a side very less fancied to win against teams ranked higher than them. They will provide some tests for the Indian team but I don’t expect them to topple India and they know it, though they can take heart from the fact that they tied against India in the recent Asia Cup.
Afghanistan will look to give their absolute best and see what happens. Rashid Khan is still their best player.
India are ahead in the ODI head to head against Afghanistan and they will look to continue the good work.
Team news and possible line-ups
Hazratullah Zazai is available for Afghanistan for tomorrow’s game and might play.
As for India, Mohammed Shami and Rishabh Pant are both available and will likely play.
Afghanistan XI : H. Zazai, G. Naib (C), R. Shah, A. Afghan, H. Shahidi, I Ali Khil (WK), N. Zadran, Nabi, R. Khan, D. Zadran, M. Ur Rahman.
India XI : R. Sharma, KL Rahul, Kohli (C), Dhoni (WK), K. Jadhav, H. Pandya, R. Pant, Shami, Chahal, Bumrah, K. Yadav.
Prediction
I expect an Indian win here weather permitted with some dominance.
