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Afghanistan and India are set to renew their rivalry when they lock horns in the first T20I of the three-match series at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 13. The contest promises to be an intriguing one, with Afghanistan entering a new era under full-time T20I captain Ibrahim Zadran, while India will be led by Shreyas Iyer.
Both teams have plenty of match-winners in their ranks. Afghanistan possess a formidable spin attack featuring Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Nangyal Kharoti, while their pace department has received a major boost with the return of Naveen-ul-Haq. India, meanwhile, have Jasprit Bumrah back in the squad, alongside explosive batters such as Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Here are 3 player battles to watch out for in AFG vs IND, 1st T20I:
The opening battle could set the tone for the entire contest. India’s Abhishek Sharma is one of the most destructive Powerplay batters in T20 cricket, but Afghanistan have a left-arm weapon capable of testing him early in the innings in Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Abhishek likes to take the attack to the opposition from the first ball. His ability to clear the boundary against pace makes him particularly dangerous on a venue such as the Arun Jaitley Stadium. However, Farooqi can challenge aggressive left-handers with his angle across the wicket and movement with the new ball.
The Afghanistan seamer will be keen to attack Abhishek’s stumps while also using his change of pace effectively. If he can remove the Indian opener early, Afghanistan will have a significant advantage. On the other hand, if Abhishek survives the opening spell, he could put Afghanistan’s bowling attack under serious pressure.
This promises to be a classic battle between aggression and precision.
Perhaps the most important battle in the middle overs will be between India’s captain Shreyas Iyer and Afghanistan’s premier leg-spinner Rashid Khan.
Iyer is known for his ability to play spin effectively, particularly when he gets into positions early and uses his footwork to disrupt the bowler’s length. However, Rashid is rarely a bowler who allows batters to settle. His quick through-the-air deliveries, variations and ability to extract turn make him one of the most difficult bowlers to dominate in T20 cricket.
The matchup becomes even more significant because India could rely heavily on Iyer to control the middle overs. With Afghanistan possessing multiple quality spinners, India will need their middle-order batters to rotate the strike while finding occasional boundaries.
Rashid, meanwhile, will want to break India’s momentum rather than simply contain the scoring. A wicket against Iyer could open the door for Afghanistan’s spin attack to dictate the middle phase.
If Iyer wins this contest, India could finish strongly. If Rashid gets the better of him, Afghanistan could seize control.
The opening contest at the other end could be equally fascinating, with Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz potentially facing India’s premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
Gurbaz is an aggressive opener who prefers taking calculated risks during the Powerplay. His ability to attack pace makes him one of Afghanistan’s biggest threats, but Bumrah presents a completely different challenge.
The Indian pacer has returned to the T20I squad after missing recent international assignments and has been declared fit for the Afghanistan series. He was also a key figure in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup triumph, including a four-wicket haul in the final against New Zealand.
Bumrah’s accuracy and ability to vary his pace make him particularly difficult to attack. His yorkers can restrict scoring at the death, while his hard lengths and movement can trouble batters during the Powerplay.
Gurbaz will therefore need to be aggressive without becoming reckless. If he manages to take on Bumrah successfully, Afghanistan could gain early momentum. But if Bumrah finds the edge or beats the opener’s defence, India’s new-ball attack could immediately put Afghanistan on the back foot.
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