Last Updated on 6 years by Charbel Coorey
It is a real shame there isn’t more riding on this game. India are in the Final thanks to wins over Bangladesh and Pakistan, but Afghanistan could have very well been in the exact same predicament. Instead, this game will be a dead rubber, but also an opportunity for both sides to perform well, for different reasons.
India have an opportunity to experiment, which is important as they attempt to fine tune their preparations for next year’s World Cup. The middle order, which has not been tested in the last three games, remains a concern, so this is the game where India should test a few different combinations. Their bowling and fielding has been, for the most part, simply outstanding, and an undefeated tournament is on the cards ahead of the Final.
Afghanistan will be heading home after this, but in another universe, they would be in the Final. Heartbreaking losses to Pakistan and Bangladesh has seen them eliminated, but the cricket they have played in this tournament actually puts a case forward that they have been the second best side. Can they be a nuisance to an India side that has brushed aside Pakistan and Bangladesh in their last three games? Can Afghanistan build even more optimism about their future?
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Key to an India win
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| Sharma and Dhawan have been immense for India |
Key to an Afghanistan win
India’s middle order faltered against Hong Kong (which seems like an age ago now), so can Afghanistan give themselves a real shot at it?
Also, given India will likely bowl first and Afghanistan bat first, runs on the board are vital. Bangladesh and Pakistan have struggled to get on top of India’s well-rounded attack. Can Afghanistan, led by the likes of Mohmmad Shahzad, Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi, give Afghanistan a competitive total?
PS, looking to improve your cricketing skills? More wickets? More runs? More fun? Check out some great tips from Cricket Secrets! You can visit here.
Possible teams
Dream11
- Mohammad Shahzad has batted pretty well in the last couple of games, and I don’t know how much batting MS Dhoni will do. Dhoni’s lowish price is tempting, though.
- Rohit Sharma’s imperious form means he is a good pick, and so too KL Rahul who will be keen to take his chance. Ambati Rayudu will be keen to prove his worth, too. So, with the possibility of Sharma, KL Rahul, Rayudu and Dhoni making up the India top four, it is tempting to have all four.
- Hashmatullah Shahidi has three 50s in a row for Afghanistan.
- Ravindra Jadeja might enjoy himself against the Afghanistan batting, and Mohammad Nabi will do lots of bowling.
- India dominate the bowling, with Rashid Khan my Afghanistan pick.
Stats and Facts
- India beat Afghanistan by eight wickets in Asia Cup 2014, the last meeting between these sides.
- Hashmatullah Shahidi finds himself in the top three for run scorers this tournament (263), behind Rohit Sharma (269) and Shikhar Dhawan (327).
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs four wickets to reach 100 in ODIs.
Prediction
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