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Afghanistan and India will square off in the third and final T20I of the series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 17. India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead after winning the first two games by seven wickets, but Afghanistan will be keen to finish the series on a positive note.
The first two matches have produced contrasting individual performances. Abhishek Sharma smashed 82 off 32 balls in the series opener, while Sanju Samson responded with a sensational 57 off just 22 deliveries in the second T20I. On the bowling front, Arshdeep Singh has repeatedly troubled Afghanistan’s top order, while Nitish Kumar Reddy produced career-best T20I figures of 3/24 in the second game.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have struggled to get their top order going but have seen Ibrahim Zadran and Azmatullah Omarzai make important contributions. Rashid Khan also produced a three-wicket spell in the second game, showing once again why he remains one of Afghanistan’s biggest match-winners.
Here are 3 player battles to watch out for in the third T20I between Afghanistan and India
One of the most intriguing contests could be between India’s explosive opener Sanju Samson and Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan.
Samson produced one of the standout innings of the series in the second T20I, smashing 57 off only 22 balls. His knock included seven fours and four sixes, and he helped India race to 163/3 in just 14.5 overs while chasing 160.
Rashid, however, was Afghanistan’s biggest threat with the ball in that contest. The leg-spinner claimed 3/36 in 3.5 overs, including the wicket of India’s captain Shreyas Iyer.
That makes his potential battle with Samson particularly fascinating. Rashid will look to vary his pace and trajectory while attacking the stumps, whereas Samson’s ability to manufacture boundaries against spin could force the Afghan captain to alter his plans.
The powerplay could be particularly important. If Samson survives until Rashid enters the attack, Afghanistan will need to find a way to prevent him from dictating the tempo.
Ibrahim Zadran will have another important assignment when he comes up against Jasprit Bumrah.
The Afghanistan captain has been one of his team’s more reliable batters during the series. He scored 37 off 33 balls in the second T20I, but his dismissal to Nitish Kumar Reddy once again highlighted Afghanistan’s difficulty in converting starts into substantial scores.
Bumrah, meanwhile, has made an immediate impact after returning to India’s T20I setup. He opened the bowling in the second game with a maiden over and helped put Afghanistan under early pressure.
The first T20I provided an even clearer indication of the threat he poses. Bumrah dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a hard-length delivery that climbed off the surface, leaving Afghanistan five runs for one wicket.
For Zadran, the challenge will be to negotiate Bumrah’s accuracy without allowing the required scoring rate to build pressure. Bumrah, on the other hand, will look to attack the stumps and force the Afghan captain into playing high-risk strokes.
If Zadran can survive India’s premier quick during the powerplay, Afghanistan could finally have the platform needed for a bigger total.
Another battle worth watching will be between Abhishek Sharma and Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Abhishek has been one of the most destructive batters in the series. He smashed 82 from 32 balls in the opening T20I, including seven sixes, and was named Player of the Match as India chased down Afghanistan’s 156 with 38 balls to spare.
The left-hander also scored 39 off 19 deliveries in the second game, forming an 88-run opening partnership with Samson. India subsequently reached the target in only 14.5 overs.
Farooqi, therefore, faces a major challenge if he gets the new ball against Abhishek. The left-arm pacer can create problems with his angle and variations, particularly when he gets the ball to move away from the left-hander.
Interestingly, Farooqi had only one over in the second T20I and conceded six runs, with his figures reading 0/6.
For Afghanistan, getting Abhishek early could be a priority. The Indian opener has demonstrated that once he gets going, he can completely change the complexion of a T20 innings within a few overs.
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