The three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to commence at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. The India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I match is set to kick off at 7:00 PM IST. India drew the series 1-1 in the T20I against South Africa in South Africa last month under the captaincy of Suryakumar Yadav. However, Suryakumar Yadav is currently sidelined due to an ankle injury, and Rohit Sharma has returned to the Indian side, taking up the captain’s role for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been absent from the T20 side since the T20 World Cup 2022. This marks their first appearance in the T20 format for over a year. India is considered a formidable and confident side, particularly on home soil. However, it is important not to underestimate Afghanistan, given their strong bowling unit, as demonstrated by their ability to cause upsets, as witnessed in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Afghanistan played against the United Arab Emirates in their recent T20I series and managed to win two out of the three matches, securing the series with a 2-1 score.
Match Details India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I
The First T20I match between India and Afghanistan is scheduled to take place at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. The match is set to commence at 7:00 IST.
| Match | India vs Afghanistan |
| Date | 11/01/2024 |
| Venue | Punjab Cricket Association Stadiumin in Mohali |
| Match Time | 7.00 PM IST |
| Toss Time | 6.30 PM IST |
| Live Coverage | Sports18, Jio Cinema. |
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I Pitch Report
Historically, the pitch at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali is favorable to batters. The average 1st innings score here is 183. Hence we can expect a very high-scoring game. In The last match played here, Australia chased a huge target of 209. The dew may play a crucial factor and the team batting 2nd will take advantage of this
Overall T20I Record At Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali
The cricket matches held at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali have seen a total of 6 encounters. In these matches, teams batting first secured victory on 2 occasions, while teams bowling first emerged victorious 4 times. The average 1st inning, score at this venue stands at 183, providing insight into the batting batting-friendly nature of matches played at the Mohali ground.
| Total Matches | Won Batting First | Won Bowling First | Avg 1st Inning Score |
| 6 | 2 | 4 | 183 |
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I Weather Report
The weather forecast for Mohali on January 11 indicates partly cloudy conditions. Fortunately, there is no chance of rain disrupting the opening T20I between India and Afghanistan. The temperature is expected to range from 7 to 18 degrees Celsius, with humidity levels projected to be between 75-88 percent. The wind speed is to be around 13-16 km/h.
India vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head In T20I Matches
The head-to-head statistics between India and Afghanistan reveal a total of 5 matches played. Among these, India clinched victory in 4 matches, asserting their dominance in the encounters. Afghanistan, unfortunately, did not secure a win in any of the matches. One match concluded without a result
| Matches | India Won | Afghanistan Won | No Result |
| 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I Probable Playing 11
India Playing 11: Rohit Sharma (capt), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar
Afghanistan Playing 11: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen Ul Haq
India And Afghanistan T20I Squad:
India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ikram Alikhil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen Ul Haq, Noor Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem, Qais Ahmad, Gulbadin Naib and Rashid Khan.
India vs Afghanistan 1st T20I Match Prediction
India is the clear favorite to win the first T20I match against Afghanistan. The Indian team boasts a powerful batting lineup with captain Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill at the top of the order, and players like Rinku Singh and Sanju Samson in the lower order to finish the innings strongly. Additionally, India has quality spinners such as Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel.
On the contrary, Afghanistan faces a setback as they are without their key bowler, Rashid Khan, who has not fully recovered from his surgery. This absence could pose a challenge for the Afghan side in the upcoming match.
As per Google’s win probability, India holds an 86% chance of winning the game, while Afghanistan is favored with a 14% chance of winning the match.
Disclaimer
This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While predicting the match outcomes, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.