New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) With the series already in the bag and the Asian Games in Japan around the corner, India will look to hand opportunities to their fringe players when they take on Afghanistan in the third and final T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Thursday.
The narrative in both games won by India has striking similarities - Shreyas Iyer's side have registered clinical seven-wicket wins, which in turn has extended their winning streak in the shortest format to five games. If Sunday saw them chase down 157 in 13.4 overs, Tuesday witnessed them complete the pursuit of 160 in 14.5 overs.
Moreover, the result of both contests became a foregone conclusion in the powerplay itself. Afghanistan's scores in the first six overs of both games read as 41/4 and 41/1, while India's tally in the same phase read as 82/1 and 82/0. Everything after that was rendered purely academic and of statistical interest.
Thursday's dead rubber leaves India with one thing worth finding out and that is what the unused players can do when drafted in the playing eleven. Teenaged batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, emerging as a huge fan favourite since his breakout time in IPL 2025 and Player of the Series winner in the 3-0 triumph in Zimbabwe, could get a look-in.
A similar case can also be made for Washington Sundar and Yash Thakur to get a game before flying to Japan for a historic one-off T20I game and the Asian Games gold medal defence. With Varun Chakaravarthy breaking down again due to a side strain, Ravi Bishnoi gave a good account of himself.
Nitish Kumar Reddy, who looked off-colour on return to action on Sunday, bounced back via picking 3-24 on Tuesday, also his best figures in international cricket across formats. There is also the Jasprit Bumrah question, which is more delicate.
Returning from a left knee injury, Bumrah has picked 1-26 and 1-25, including opening Tuesday's game with a maiden over. Whether India chooses to rest their national fast-bowling treasure to keep him fresh for the trip to Japan remains to be seen.
Among those who have played in the series, Abhishek Sharma has been the most emphatic batter. After a quiet tour of Zimbabwe, where he made only 11 runs, the swashbuckling left-hander brought up his fifty in the series opener inside 25 balls.
According to CricViz, he leads the series run-making charts with 121 runs at an average of 60.50 and a strike rate of 237.25, with nine fours and 11 sixes. It also recorded him striking at 235 against Rashid Khan in the first game, before looting 37 runs collectively against him, Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman in the subsequent clash.
Sanju Samson's 57 off 22 balls on Tuesday, his highest score since becoming Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup triumph, was another huge bright point for India. A run of 43 runs in five games meant Samson lost his place to Sooryavanshi since the Manchester T20I in July. But Samson striking 11 boundaries in the second game after overcoming a slow start means more fireworks are in store from his willow on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan arrive with the same questions they had no answers to in the first game and which resurfaced again in the second match. On a small ground with short square boundaries, truer bounce and ball coming on nicely, 159 was never going to be enough to challenge a big-hitting Indian batting line-up.
But India's bowling was just too hot to handle for their batters. Every attempt to accelerate cost them a wicket, and by the time Rashid Khan arrived to swing the bat in the closing overs, after Azmatullah Omarzai applied finishing touches in the first game, Afghanistan again ended with a below-par score.
Some of the bowling strategies were also confusing - new-ball bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi was not introduced until the 13th over on Tuesday. Neither Rashid nor Noor Ahmad bowled in the powerplay, which allowed Abhishek and Samson to attack Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi and Omarzai with relative ease.
Billed as the Friendship Cup, it has been generous to Afghanistan, but only in name. The 'hosts' still have 40 more overs to change how this is remembered and avoid a 3-0 series loss. India, the designated visitors, have looked entirely at home and can use Thursday's clash to give their three unused players essential game time.
When: Thursday, September 17, 7:30 PM IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Where to watch: The match will be shown live on Sony Sports Ten 5 SD & HD channels on TV. Live-streaming will be available on the FanCode app and website.
Squads
India: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Yash Thakur
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Noor Rahman (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Abdullah Ahmadzai and Naveen-ul-Haq.
--IANS
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