India vs Afganistan, Asian Games Men's T20I 2023, Today Match Prediction 07 October 2023

ind vs afg Match Prediction & Analysis

India will take on Afghanistan in the Gold Medal match of the Asian Games Men’s T20I 2023. Indians have done well in the tournament, and they defeated Bangladesh comfortably in their semifinal clash, while a spirited Afghan side had the better of Pakistan in their semifinal. The Afghans will push hard for a win to grab the country’s first Gold Medal, while the Indians will look to add one more to the tally.  

Afghanistan has an experienced team, with many of their players part of different franchise leagues. However, the side has a poor record against India, and they have struggled with the bat in both games. Indians have a strong batting line-up, and the top order in good form. It will be interesting to see if the Afghans can pull out a memorable victory in this gold medal match.

TEAMS PREVIEW

India Preview

Ruturaj Gaikwad’s side came in as favorites, and the side has lived up to the expectations. It was a comprehensive win for the side against Afghanistan in the semifinal, where they crossed the finishing line in less than 10 overs and nine wickets in hand. Gaikwad would like his players to continue with the same form and add another Gold Medal to India’s tally in the Asian Games.  

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad are in excellent form, and the pair will look to deliver a solid start to the team. Tilak Varma scored 55 in the last game, making this middle order formidable, along with Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma. The side has quality hitters in the lower middle order, and they will expect good performances from Rinku Singh, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, and Washington Sundar.  

Arshdeep Singh bowled well in the last game, and he will look to pick early wickets, sharing the new ball with Shivam Dube. Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore and Washington Sundar will have important roles to play in the middle overs of the game. Ravi Bishnoi and Shahbaz Ahmed complete a strong attack for the side.

India Predicted Playing XI:

Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Arshdeep Singh

Afganistan Preview

Gulbadin Naib led from the front as he took his side to victory against Pakistan by 4 wickets. They dominated the game with the ball and held their nerves after losing quick wickets during their chase. It will be a tough call for the side against the confident Indians and Naib shall look for a good show from his players.  

Sediqullah Atal and Mohammad Shahzad haven’t delivered as yet, and the side will need a strong show from the opening pair. Noor Ali Zadran has done well, and he must anchor this middle order along with Shahidullah Kamal and Afsar Zazai. Naib and Karim Janat are experienced players, and they will need to contribute with the bat.  

Indians have been in top form with the bat, and the side will need early wickets from Gulbadin Naib and Sharafuddin Ashraf with the new ball. Qais Ahmad and Karim Janat have a lot of experience in bowling to the best batsmen in the world, and they must put it to good use. Fareed Ahmad Malik and Zahir Khan must do well in the supporting role.

Afganistan Predicted Playing XI:

Gulbadin Naib (c), Sediqullah Atal, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Shahidullah Kamal, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Afsar Zazai, Karim Janat, Qais Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Zahir Khan

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

We will see slight cloud cover over Hangzhou on October 7. Fast bowlers will enjoy bowling with the new ball. The batting conditions would be excellent as the wicket is flat, and the ball is coming to the bat nicely. The side batting first will need 180 runs to feel safe on this ground.

Venue Details

Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou, is a small ground and has shorter boundaries around the square. Batsmen can play their strokes easily on this surface. There is assistance for the fast bowlers early in the game. Spinners don’t have much chance here due to the small boundaries.

Toss: To Bowl

This isn’t the best venue to defend a total, as the smaller boundaries make it an ideal venue for chasing. It will be a high-pressure game, and both teams would like to play it safe in the contest. The side winning the toss won’t hesitate to bowl first.