India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20: Having clinched the series already, India will be playing their final T20 ahead of the World Cup later this year in June.
Having clinched the T20I series, India will face Afghanistan in the third and last T20I on Wednesday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. It will be their final T20I ahead of the World Cup later this year in June.
Having emerged victorious in Mohali by six wickets, India claimed a win by the same margin in Indore on Sunday. Having elected to bowl first, India managed to restrict Afghanistan for 172 on a belter of a surface and chased down the total with 26 balls to spare.
Chasing the total, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube scored half centuries whilst Virat Kohli (29 off 16) also marked his comeback into the T20I side after 14 months with a quickfire cameo. Here’s how the team may line up for the final match of the series.
India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20: Jaiswal to keep his opener’s spot
Among the biggest talking points for the Indian T20 side since last year has been Yashasvi Jaiswal. Since January 2023, Jaiswal has been the second highest run getter for India in T20Is after Suryakumar Yadav, having scored 498 runs off 15 innings.
In Indore, despite the early dismissal of captain Rohit Sharma, the southpaw went after the Afghan bowling attack, scoring 68 runs at the brisk strike rate of 200.
This, in contrast to Shubman Gill, who failed to capitalise on an early start in Mohali and has had a string of poor outings since he scored a century early last year.
Kuldeep slots in for Sundar
Having been started in the playing XI for the first two T20Is, Washington Sundar hasn’t fared well with the ball in his hands. Two outings, six overs, 50 runs conceded and no wickets.
His need with the bat also hasn’t arised, With Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel having done well with the ball, it may be time that India deploy Kuldeep Yadav in the mix. Having only played in nine T20Is since last year, the left-arm chinaman is fourth in India’s wicket-taking tally in the time frame.
India vs Afghanistan 3rd T20: Predicted playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
