Afghanistan tour of India: Rashid Khan and Co set to face World Cup runners-up in three-match T20I series

After a successful ODI World Cup campaign, Afghanistan are all set to take on India in a three-match T20I Series in the new year as announced on Tuesday (Nov 21). The Afghans who had a wonderful time in India during the World Cup will play India in January as part of the three-match series. The team consisting of star names like Rashid Khan and Rahmanullah Gurbaz will look togain supremacy on Indian soil as they face India.

Afghanistan to tour India

The series will kickstart at the PCA stadium in Mohali where the two nations will meet on January 11 while the Holkar Stadium in Indore will host the second T20I contest. The series will conclude with the final T20I on January 17 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 2024 will be a crucial year for both India and Afghanistan with the T20 World Cup also on the calendar in June.

The tour will take place immediately after the Indian team returns from South Africa tour which will start on December 10. The month-long tour will conclude on January 7 where India will play two Tests, three ODIs, and three T20Is. The Afghanistan series could see a second-string Indian side take guards as the majority of the players from the senior contingent will be expected to take a rest after the African series. There will be only four days since the gap between the final day of the Cape Town Test and the first T20I in Mohali.

With a five-match Test series against England to commence in the first week of February, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will keep close tabs on players who will be made available for the Afghanistan series.

Afghanistan’s World Cup campaign

Afghanistan had a fruitful campaign in the World Cup where they finished above the defending champions England. Hashmatullah Shahidi’s side won four matches at the global tournament including wins over Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, and England. Their win over Pakistan was the highlight reel of the campaign when they chased 282 while they almost got the better of Australia.