India seeks victory that guarantees series against Afghanistan with an eye on the 2027 World Cup By Beatriz
3 min read
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The first match of the One-Day International (ODI) series, played in Dharamsala, provided an insight into the positions of both teams in the run-up to the upcoming Cricket World Cup. After a period focused on T20 cricket and an isolated Test, India officially began their preparations for the 50-over format with a convincing seven-wicket victory, highlighting both the strength of their experienced core and the potential of new talent. On the other hand, Afghanistan demonstrated the ability to compete with the Indian team, but the difficulty in taking advantage of crucial moments, both with the bat and the ball, highlighted the distance they still need to shorten to reach the great powers.
In a 25-overs-a-side clash, shortened by rain, India introduced two debutants, gave Ishan Kishan a long-awaited return in a new role and watched Shubman Gill remain calm in the lead as captain. The move to Lucknow gives the Indian team a new opportunity to evaluate their different formations. Important absences due to injuries and workload management left India without some of their key players, but these gaps opened doors for other athletes to step up and prove their worth, consolidating important options for the depth of the Indian squad, crucial for planning for the 2027 World Cup, with Gurnoor Brar’s remarkable performance on his debut, Harsh Dubey’s remarkable appearance in his first appearance and Nitish Kumar Reddy’s timely wicket-taking.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan can take positives from the clash in Dharamsala, where the team remained competitive for long stretches. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s spectacular century, achieved in just 48 balls, briefly threatened to reverse the result against India, before a collapse in the middle order left them about 30 runs short, according to captain Hashmatullah Shahidi. The big challenge now lies in finding more consistent support for Gurbaz, especially when facing an Indian attack that, despite relative inexperience, has demonstrated discipline and objectivity.
The next game is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, kicking off at 1:30 pm Indian Standard Time (IST).
The venue for the match will be the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, located in the city of Lucknow.
Traditionally, Ekana Stadium is perceived as a ground that favors spin bowlers; however, statistics from ODIs at the venue indicate that speed bowlers have enjoyed slightly greater success, averaging just over 30 runs per wicket, compared to 33.64 for spinners. The stadium has not hosted a 50-over match since the 2023 World Cup, when the average first innings score was 238. During the same tournament, three of the five games were won by the team chasing the score, while South Africa, with 311 against Australia, and India, with 229 against England, were the only teams to successfully defend their scores.
Updates on the Indian team and absences
Captain Rohit Sharma suffered an impact on his wrist during the first ODI and showed discomfort. If India opts to rest him, Yashasvi Jaiswal could be integrated into the team to form the opening pair with Gill.
India’s possible starting line-up for the second clash
- Shubman Gill (captain)
- Rohit Sharma / Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Ishan Kishan (wicket keeper)
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul
- Washington Sundar
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Harsh Dubey
- Gurnoor Brar
- Arshdeep Singh
- Prasidh Krishna
Players tipped to start for Afghanistan
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket keeper)
- Sediqullah Atal
- Rahmat Shah
- Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain)
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Mohammad Nabi
- Rashid Khan
- Mohammad Saleem Safi
- AM Ghazanfar
- Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
Record of historic team matches in Lucknow
- The Afghan team has participated in four One-Day International matches in Lucknow, recording a 0-3 defeat to the West Indies in November 2019 and a seven-wicket victory over the Netherlands during the 2023 World Cup.
- The Indian team has played two ODIs at the Ekana Stadium: a nine-run defeat to South Africa in 2022 and a 100-run triumph against England in the 2023 World Cup.
