Tackling Virat Kohli would be the biggest challenge for Afghanistan
Seeking a positive start in their ICC World Twenty20 opener, India will come head-to-head against Afghanistan in Colombo on Wednesday.
India’s nail-biting five-wicket loss to Pakistan in their second warm-up match despite of posting a formidable total of 185-4, exposed the flaws of their bowling attack. Irfan Pathan claimed five wickets in the first warm-up to set up 26-run victory for India but failed to demonstrate the same in the practice match against Pakistan.
Likewise, Zaheer Khan, Laskashmipathy Balaji and Harbhajan Singh all were very expensive in the second warm-up match.
India’s batting line-up, however, has been very consistent. Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and skipper MS Dhoni all are in superb form. The return of flamboyant all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has bolstered their batting-line.
Afghanistan, the newborn cricketing nation, has set the sights on the biggest upset of the event. They defeated Sri Lanka A comprehensively in their first game but lost to West Indies in the second game.
There is a sharp contrast between the history of Indian and Afghan cricket. Afghanistan has still a lot to prove to get a prestigious position in the cricketing arena but their eagerness to play against big sides indicates that they will earn the reward of their struggle in coming years.
BY now, Afghanistan are laced with flamboyant T20 campaigners. In bowling they will bank on the seam department.
India:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Manoj Tiwary, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Dinda.
Afghanistan:
Nawroz Mangal (capt), Asghar Stanikzai, Dawlat Zadran, Gulbodin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Izatullah Dawlatzai, Javed Ahmadi, Karim Sadiq, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Shahzad, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nasim Baras, Samiullah Shenwari, Shafiqullah, Shapoor Zadran.
