India vs Afghanistan: T20I Records and Stats at IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali

India and Afghanistan will clash in a three-match T20I series, starting on Thursday, January 11. The series kicks off in Mohali, before heading to Indore and concluding in Bangalore. This marks the first-ever T20I series between the two sides. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will return to the T20I side after 427 days, with Rohit leading the Men in Blue in their final T20I assignment before the T20 World Cup 2024.

India will be without Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj, who are being rested while Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya are still recovering from injuries. Afghanistan will be led by Ibrahim Zadran while Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been included in their squad. This series is a crucial stepping stone for players competing for T20 World Cup selection, showcasing their talent before the IPL.

The hosts have played four T20Is at Mohali, winning three for a 75% winning percentage. In contrast visiting teams have won only one match. Interestingly, despite playing 22 T20Is across India, Afghanistan have enjoyed relative success, securing 17 wins against just five losses in this country. 

 IND vs AFG Head-to-Head Record:    

India has the upper hand, winning four matches with one ending in a no-result in a total of five games against Afghanistan.

Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium  Pitch Report:  

Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium is one of the finest batting tracks in India. However, the pitch also offers a touch of early pace for fast bowlers and increasing assistance for spinners as the game progresses. The dew factor can come into play later on, potentially Favouring the advantage towards teams chasing. This trend is expected to continue.

Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium T20I Stats & Records:  

Across six T20I matches at the venue, pacers have picked 38 wickets at an average of 38.97, while spinners have snagged 22 scalps at an average of 28.95. Notably, the chasing team has emerged victorious four times, compared to two wins for teams defending. The average first-innings score at Mohali is 183 

X-factors for India vs Afghanistan  

India  

Virat Kohli will be the X-factor for India in the upcoming T20I against Afghanistan. His T20 batting prowess is well-known and he boasts a remarkable record. In their three T20I encounters, he has amassed 172 runs including  with a highest score of an unbeaten 122 and another half-century. 

 Afghanistan 

Mohammad Nabi boasts significant experience against India, having played 22 T20Is in their backyard. He has amassed 466 runs in 21 innings, with a highest score of 89 and three half-centuries. In addition to his batting prowess, Nabi has also picked up 19 wickets, including a best bowling performance of 4/20, an impressive economy rate of 6.98 in India. This makes him a crucial player for Afghanistan in their upcoming encounter against India  

India vs Afghanistan Predicted Playing XI:  

India: 

Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill/Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan/ Ravi Bishnoi 

Afghanistan

Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf , Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad/Qais Ahmad