A fresh series awaits as Team India prepares to play Afghanistan in three Twenty20 Internationals.
On Thursday, January 11, the first match will be played at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
The series will witness the comeback of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who both last played a T20 international at the 2022 World Cup.
India has a strong team with a good mix of experience and youth and will want to play as a unit.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, has a youthful team that is known for its daring tactics and courageous attitude.
In their most recent T20I series, they beat the UAE.
And will be ready to cause a major shock in the forthcoming series against India.
Mohali, located in the northern region of the country, has held four T20Is so far, with India winning three of them.
The venue’s conditions are predicted to favor hitters over bowlers.
With the winter season in full swing, there is a good probability of dew falling in the second inning, making things simpler for the side batting second.
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The previous time Team India played a T20I at Mohali, they were defeated by Australia
While India has won three T20Is at Mohali, their sole loss there came in 2022 against Australia.
It was also their final T20I at the PCA IS Bindra Stadium, where they will play Afghanistan on Thursday.
After being allowed to bat first, India lost their two key hitters, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, early on.
However, KL Rahul (55 off 35 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (46 off 25 balls) quickly mounted a
counter-attack, putting the Australian bowlers under pressure.
Despite losing Rahul and Suryakumar in short succession, the hosts were able to sustain their
momentum in the later overs as Hardik Pandya (71* off 30) took over and provided the hosts with a blistering finale.
He assisted the Men in Blue in scoring 67 runs in their final five overs to reach 208 after 20 overs.
Despite the great score, Australia was almost assured to finish early due to their outstanding start.
Cameron Green, opening for the first time in international cricket, looked ominous as he smashed 61 off only 30 balls.
Green and Steve Smith kept the scoring going, reaching 70 runs for the second wicket.
India recovered quickly after the midway point, with Axar Patel (3/17) and Umesh Yadav (2/27) leading the charge.
However, Matthew Wade’s stunning cameo of 45* from 21 balls clinched Australia’s exciting victory.
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