IND Vs AFG 1st T20I: Cricket Friendship Takes Centre Stage As India-Afghanistan Clash Today

New Delhi: The first match of the three-match T20 series between India and Afghanistan will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday. The series has been named ‘Friendship Cup’. The special thing is that Afghanistan is the host of this series, but all three matches are being played in India. Both teams had earlier faced each other in a three-match ODI series in June, in which India won 3-0. Now Afghanistan has a chance to challenge the Indian team in T20.

How will the cricket friendship between the two countries be seen in Delhi?

The series will not start only with the match on the field. India and Afghanistan captains Shreyas Iyer and Ibrahim Zadran unveiled the 'Friendship Cup' trophy in Delhi on Saturday. It is no longer a new thing for Afghanistan to play its home matches in India. At present, it does not have a home ground where international matches can be held regularly. Even before this he has played his matches in different cities of India.

What will be the biggest challenge for India?

The Indian team would like to test many players in this series and also test its preparation. The captaincy of the team is in the hands of Shreyas Iyer. Along with him, batsmen like Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Verma and Shivam Dubey are in the team. In bowling, there are options like Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakraborty and Ravi Bishnoi. However, the availability of some players is dependent on fitness clearance.

How much threat is there from Afghanistan's spinners?

Afghanistan's biggest strength in T20 cricket is considered to be its spin bowling. Under the leadership of Rashid Khan, the team has bowlers who have the ability to stop runs and take wickets in the middle overs. Indian batsmen will have to play carefully against these bowlers in the conditions of Delhi. On the other hand, India also has options like Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakraborty and Ravi Bishnoi in the spin department.

Is this series also a preparation for the Asian Games?

The importance of this series for the Indian team is not limited only to the match against Afghanistan. There is also the challenge of the Asian Games ahead, so the players will get a good opportunity to test themselves in the T20 format. Vaibhav Suryavanshi will also be under watch. He has impressed with his batting in the recent T20 matches and now another good innings will be expected from him at the international level.

Were there any security concerns regarding the match?

There was doubt for some time regarding the first T20. Due to the BRICS summit being held in Delhi from 11 to 13 September, there was pressure on traffic and security arrangements. Delhi Traffic Police had also suggested proceeding with the match. However, after the meeting between DDCA and Traffic Police, it was agreed to conduct the match as per schedule. The first T20 will be played at Arun Jaitley Stadium from 7 pm on Sunday.

Is India being considered to have the upper hand?

The record is in favor of India. Both teams have played nine T20 international matches so far. India has won eight of these matches, while one match did not result. But it will not be easy for India to take the Afghanistan team lightly. They have experienced players and in T20, one or two overs can change the course of the entire match. In such a situation, this series starting in Delhi is going to be a platform for tough cricket competition along with the message of friendship.