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India vs Afghanistan, IND vs AFG 2026, Today Match Prediction
IND vs AFG Win Probability
Toss Winner - Afghanistan won the toss and choose to bowl first
India beat Afghanistan by 170 runs
India have never lost to Afghanistan in any format of international cricket - 12 wins and one tied ODI (2018 Asia Cup). Can the visitors break that drought?
- Top-order batter Ibrahim Zadran is the ultimate stabilizing force for Afghanistan, scoring 430 runs at an excellent average of 61.43 in his last seven matches.
- Out of the nine ODIs played at Ekana, only one has been won by the touring side so far, which, incidentally, came in a non-India game.
- The highest run-chase achieved at this venue is Sri Lanka’s 263 versus Netherlands in the 2023 World Cup.
India are favorites to win the second ODI.
| Tournament: | Afghanistan tour of India 2026 |
| Format: | odi |
| Venue: | Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, India |
| Toss Prediction: | To Bowl |
| Weather: | 34.2°C|Mist |
IND vs AFG Live Prediction
IND vs AFG Match Prediction & Analysis
The action moves to the historical city of Lucknow as India prepare to clash with Afghanistan in the 2nd ODI of the bilateral series at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. India hold a comfortable 1-0 lead in the three-match series following a comprehensive seven-wicket victory in a rain-truncated opening fixture in Dharamshala. For Afghanistan, this upcoming encounter will be a massive do-or-die battle to keep the series alive, while the hosts will look to wrap up the trophy with a game to spare.
The opening match showed India's depth, as their bowling unit's clinical execution restricted the visitors before the top order tracked down the target with absolute ease. Afghanistan, however, will take immense confidence from individual brilliance, specifically a breathtaking century from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. With the series silver on the line, the visitors must find a collective batting response to counter a highly disciplined Indian side under the hot Lucknow sun.
RECENT PERFORMANCE
IND
W
L
L
W
W
IND
195/3 in 22.5 8.54
IND vs AFG 2026
India beat Afghanistan by 7 wickets (D/L) method194/10 in 24.5 7.81
AFG
L
W
W
W
W
AFG
195/3 in 22.5 8.54
IND vs AFG 2026
India beat Afghanistan by 7 wickets (D/L) method194/10 in 24.5 7.81
190/10 in 44.5 4.24
AFG vs BAN 2025
Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by 81 runs109/10 in 28.3 3.82
226/5 in 47.1 4.79
AFG vs BAN 2025
Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by 5 wickets221/10 in 48.5 4.53
HEAD TO HEAD
Last 1 Matches
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TEAMS PREVIEW
India Preview
India come this second fixture in total control of the series momentum after a clinical display in the opening game, where they chased down Afghanistan's target of 195 in just 22.3 overs.
Shubman Gill’s captaincy reign has started perfectly. The 26-year-old carried his domestic form (732 runs in the IPL followed by a century in the one-off Test) into the ODI arena, stroking 11 fours and two sixes in his 84. He also became the second fastest batter to 3,000 ODI runs, reaching the milestone in his 62nd innings.
The batting order has a fresh look. Ishan Kishan was promoted to number three and responded with a fluent 34 off 22, while KL Rahul finished the chase at number five with an unbeaten 39 off 19. The decision to use Rahul as a finisher paid off, and he is expected to retain that role in Lucknow. Rohit Sharma, returning from a hamstring niggle, looked sharp before his runout and will open alongside Gill.
The bowling attack has a new dimension. Gurnoor Brar, the 6ft 5in Punjab quick, impressed on debut with figures of 3/27, bowling at speeds exceeding 145 km/h. Harsh Dubey, the left-arm spinner, claimed 3/ 47, including the key wicket of Hashmatullah Shahidi. Arshdeep Singh (2/27) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2/31) provided support, while Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar completed a disciplined effort. Washington Sundar‘s off-spin will be particularly useful on a Lucknow surface that can slow down.
Key Players: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar
IND Over/Under Betting Tips
Ishan Kishan Total Runs Over 34.5 @ 1.85
Ishan Kishan came into bat at number 3 in the last match and carried on from where he left off in the T20 World Cup with a quick fire knock of 34 runs in 22 balls, smashing 3 fours and one six, striking at 154.55. He is in good form and scores runs at a really quick rate, we back him to continue his good run of form in today's match and score over 34 runs.
Shubman Gill Total Runs Over 40.5 @ 1.85
The Indian skipper is in sublime form at the moment, he remained unbeaten on 84* runs in the 1st ODI match smashing 11 fours and 2 sixes, striking at 127.27. Today's match at Ekana Stadium is going to be a bit bowler friendly early on and if he can get past that phase expect another Gill masterclass in today's match.
India Predicted Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar
India Key Players From Previous Game Of Afghanistan tour of India 2026
India Actual Playing XI:
Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, Kuldeep Yadav, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Rohit Sharma, Lokesh Rahul, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Afghanistan Preview
Afghanistan need immediate tactical adjustments to prevent an early series defeat. Hashmatullah Shahidi‘s side has a familiar problem: one batter does the heavy lifting, the rest fail to contribute. Gurbaz’s 102 off 51 balls - the fastest ODI century by an Afghanistan batter and the second quickest against India after Shahid Afridi‘s 45-ball effort - was an innings of extraordinary power and improvisation. He reverse scooped Prasidh Krishna for four and used the crease masterfully to counter swing. But after his dismissal, Afghanistan lost six wickets for 52 runs.
Their batting structure relies heavily on Ibrahim Zadran, who has been in sparkling form with 430 runs in his last seven matches at an average of 61.43. Opener Sediqullah Atal adds useful stability with 303 runs from his last 10.
The middle order will need to step up in Lucknow. Shahidi made 27 but could not accelerate, while Mohammad Nabi (26 off 16) and Azmatullah Omarzai (9) fell cheaply.
The bowling attack was led by Rashid Khan (1/37) and debutant Ziaur Rahman, who impressed with pace. AM Ghazanfar, the young off-spinner, bowled four overs for 39 runs and will be expected to provide control alongside Rashid. The pace of Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mohammad Saleem could trouble India‘s top order on a pitch that offers early carry.
Key Players: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Ibrahim Zadran
AFG Over/Under Betting Tips
Hashmatullah Shahidi Total Runs Over 22.5 @ 1.85
The skipper of Afghanistan scored 27 runs in 30 balls in the last match. He is one of the most stabilised batters in the middle order for his side and the last time he played at Ekanna Stadium he scored 56 runs. Against India in 4 matches he has scored 128 runs, averaging 32.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz Total Runs Over 27.5 @ 1.85
Gurbaz played a maginficent knock in the last match scoring the fastest hundred for Afghanistan in ODI's against India (102 runs in 51 balls) smashing 8 fours and 8 sixes and striking at 200. Against India he has scored 123 runs in 2 matches, averaging 61.5 and striking at 155.70. Given his current run of form, we back Gurbaz to score over 27 runs.
Afghanistan Predicted Playing XI:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Ziaur Rahman, Allah Ghazanfar, Mohammad Saleem
Afghanistan Key Players From Previous Game Of Afghanistan tour of India 2026
Afghanistan Actual Playing XI:
Hashmatullah Shahidi, Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Rahmat Shah, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharote, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Allah Ghazanfar, Bilal Sami, Mohammad Saleem Safi
PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
Weather Conditions
The forecast for Lucknow on match day is for clear skies with a temperature of 38-40°C, humidity around 30 per cent, and a light north‑easterly breeze. There is no chance of rain, and a full 50‑over contest is expected. The intense heat may test the endurance of the players, especially those fielding first.
IND vs AFG Pitch Report
Pitch Condition
BalancedBatting Conditions
Moderate ScoringPace Bowling
SwingSpin Bowling
Average Turn
The Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow has traditionally been one of India's tougher scoring venues in ODI cricket. The average first-innings score across nine ODIs is just 213, significantly lower than many other major Indian grounds. Batting has often required patience here, with the surface tending to assist bowlers more than outright batting tracks elsewhere in the country.
Interestingly, teams chasing have enjoyed a slight advantage, winning five of the nine ODIs played at the venue compared to four victories for sides batting first. The highest successful chase is 263/5 by Sri Lanka against the Netherlands during the 2023 World Cup, suggesting that even totals around 260 are far from safe at this ground.
The venue has also witnessed relatively modest scoring rates, with teams averaging exactly 5.00 runs per over. South Africa's 311/7 is the highest ODI total here, but such scores have been rare. Overall, expect a balanced contest where bowlers are likely to stay in the game throughout the innings, and a score around 250-270 could prove highly competitive.
Total Over/Under Betting Tips
Total Match Score Under 581.5 @ 1.75
The surface at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow offers a balanced track that favours both the batters and bowlers. The average total match score in the in the 9 ODI matches played at this venue is 443 runs. The average 1st innings score is around 240-250 runs, so expect a moderate scoring game and the total match score to be under 582 runs.
India to win the coin toss @ 1.90
We back India to win the coin toss in today's match against Afghanistan.
Toss: To Bowl
The match is scheduled for a 1:30 PM local start at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. In nine ODIs played at this venue, the chasing sides have won five matches. The pitch offers true bounce early but tends to slow and take spin, making the second innings slightly easier for stroke‑players. The captain who wins the toss is likely to bowl first.
IND vs AFG
Winning Prediction
India have the momentum and the statistical edge. The batting lineup, with Gill in sublime touch, Kishan comfortable at number three, and Rahul and Iyer finishing games from the middle order, looks settled. The bowling attack, led by the impressive debutants and the experienced Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav, has shown it can take wickets at regular intervals.
Afghanistan, for all their firepower, remain over‑reliant on Gurbaz. If India‘s new‑ball attack can remove the explosive opener cheaply, the visitors’ brittle middle order will face the same spin squeeze. At a venue where chasing has been the winning formula, and with India’s depth in batting, the hosts should wrap up the series with a game to spare.
India are favorites to win the second ODI.
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