Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been included in India's Playing XI in a crucial Twenty20 World Cup clash against Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (November 3).

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been included in India's Playing XI in a crucial Twenty20 World Cup clash against Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (November 3). Ashwin has returned to India's XI after 1,578 days — last time he played a T20I match for India was against West Indies at Kingston on July 09, 2017. The Virat Kohli-led has been asked to bat first after Afghan captain Mohammad Nabi won the toss and elected to field. The Afghans, who are second behind Group 2 leaders Pakistan and hoping to make it to the semi-finals, have one change with Sharafuddin Ashraf coming in for the retired Asghar Afghan. "We always prepare for both (bat or field first), but today we'll bowl first because of the dew," said Nabi. "We'll play normal cricket and go and enjoy." WATCH | Rohit Sharma's special praise for Virat Kohli, says 'his hunger for success is just unbelievable' On the other hand, the Men In Blue, who have lost both their group matches, made two changes as fit-again batsman Suryakumar Yadav and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin make the XI in place of Ishan Kishan and Varun Chakravarthy. India need to win their remaining three matches and depend on other teams to have any chance of making their semi-finals. "Firstly there's no denying the fact that the situation is a tricky one. Having said that there's still a chance. We as a team will try to play positive cricket. We know we haven't played up to potential whatever the reasons might be," said Kohli during the toss. Toss update from Abu Dhabi 📰 Afghanistan elect to field. #T20WorldCup | #INDvAFG | https://t.co/ZJL2KKL30i pic.twitter.com/yF1jrcuWqx — T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) November 3, 2021 × Playing XI: India: KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (capt), Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (capt), Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Hamid Hassan

T20 WC: R Ashwin returns to Team India's XI vs Afghanistan, know after how many days

India played their second game in the Super 12 round in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition against Kane Williamson-led New Zealand, on Sunday (October 31) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. After losing their tournament-opener versus arch-rivals Pakistan by ten wickets, the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue were expected to comeback in style and get off the mark in the points table.&nbsp;

However, nothing of that sort happened as Kohli &amp; Co. lost their second game on the trot, by eight wickets versus the Black Caps. Being asked to bat first, India posted a below-par 110-7 in 20 overs. In reply, the Kiwis completed the run-chase with 33 balls in hand and pushed the one-time winners are on the brink of an early exit from the mega event.

While nothing has clicked for India in the two games in the T20 WC, many former cricketers and experts of the gentlemen's game has slammed the Kohli-led thinktank for their questionable changes in the playing XI versus New Zealand. Ishan Kishan came in place of injured Suryakumar Yadav and was asked to open as Rohit was demoted to No. 3 whereas Kohli also moved a spot below his usual position. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was replaced by Shardul Thakur.&nbsp;

Many feel India pressed the panic button after one loss. Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Gautam Gambhir feels mentor MS Dhoni had no role behind the knee-jerk changes made by India in their playing&nbsp;XI versus the Kiwis. Gambhir has, meanwhile,&nbsp;slammed Kohli the strategist behind India's poor decision-making.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-rohit-sharmas-special-praise-for-virat-kohli-says-his-hunger-for-success-is-just-unbelievable-426461">Watch: Rohit Sharma's special praise for Virat Kohli, says 'his hunger for success is just unbelievable'</a>

"Kohli has never impressed me as a strategist. Once again, he was a disappointment on Sunday. For starters, why did he change the team from the one that played against Pakistan? If that was not enough, he also changed the batting order and had Ishan Kishan open in place of Rohit. I have played long enough with MS Dhoni to know that he would have nothing to do with these knee-jerk changes just after one game. And what I also understand is that the other support staff hardly challenge Kohli's calls," Gambhir wrote in his coloumn for TOI.

"But the question is whether Sodhi and other New Zealanders bowled well or India batted below par. I am the first one to acknowledge opposition's supremacy but after seeing Kohli and his men play the way they did on Sunday, I'd say they made Sodhi and Co. looked better than they were. From a distance it seemed there was no clear planning, role allocation and proper assessment of the conditions. Clearly, they were searching for a mountain of a score. Lack of understanding of the pitch meant they were in pursuit of a score around 170-180. As a result, Indian batsmen kept hitting in the air like millionaires and folded for 110," Gambhir added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-cricketer-feels-too-much-confusion-in-team-india-with-mentor-ms-dhoni-and-head-coach-shastri-426458">Former cricketer feels too much 'confusion' in Team India with mentor MS Dhoni and head coach Shastri</a>

India are in a must-win position in their remaining three games in the Super 12 round. In addition, they need other results to favour them in order to progress to the semi-finals of the mega event in the UAE. As of now, Kohli &amp; Co. have their back against the wall and need to produce some scintillating performances to march their way back into the tournament.

India played their second game in the Super 12 round in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition against Kane Williamson-led New Zealand, on Sunday (October 31) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.

India played their second game in the Super 12 round in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition against Kane Williamson-led New Zealand, on Sunday (October 31) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. After losing their tournament-opener versus arch-rivals Pakistan by ten wickets, the Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue were expected to comeback in style and get off the mark in the points table. However, nothing of that sort happened as Kohli & Co. lost their second game on the trot, by eight wickets versus the Black Caps. Being asked to bat first, India posted a below-par 110-7 in 20 overs. In reply, the Kiwis completed the run-chase with 33 balls in hand and pushed the one-time winners are on the brink of an early exit from the mega event. While nothing has clicked for India in the two games in the T20 WC, many former cricketers and experts of the gentlemen's game has slammed the Kohli-led thinktank for their questionable changes in the playing XI versus New Zealand. Ishan Kishan came in place of injured Suryakumar Yadav and was asked to open as Rohit was demoted to No. 3 whereas Kohli also moved a spot below his usual position. Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was replaced by Shardul Thakur. Many feel India pressed the panic button after one loss. Former Indian opener-turned-commentator Gautam Gambhir feels mentor MS Dhoni had no role behind the knee-jerk changes made by India in their playing XI versus the Kiwis. Gambhir has, meanwhile, slammed Kohli the strategist behind India's poor decision-making. ALSO READ | Watch: Rohit Sharma's special praise for Virat Kohli, says 'his hunger for success is just unbelievable' "Kohli has never impressed me as a strategist. Once again, he was a disappointment on Sunday. For starters, why did he change the team from the one that played against Pakistan? If that was not enough, he also changed the batting order and had Ishan Kishan open in place of Rohit. I have played long enough with MS Dhoni to know that he would have nothing to do with these knee-jerk changes just after one game. And what I also understand is that the other support staff hardly challenge Kohli's calls," Gambhir wrote in his coloumn for TOI. "But the question is whether Sodhi and other New Zealanders bowled well or India batted below par. I am the first one to acknowledge opposition's supremacy but after seeing Kohli and his men play the way they did on Sunday, I'd say they made Sodhi and Co. looked better than they were. From a distance it seemed there was no clear planning, role allocation and proper assessment of the conditions. Clearly, they were searching for a mountain of a score. Lack of understanding of the pitch meant they were in pursuit of a score around 170-180. As a result, Indian batsmen kept hitting in the air like millionaires and folded for 110," Gambhir added. ALSO READ | Former cricketer feels too much 'confusion' in Team India with mentor MS Dhoni and head coach Shastri India are in a must-win position in their remaining three games in the Super 12 round. In addition, they need other results to favour them in order to progress to the semi-finals of the mega event in the UAE. As of now, Kohli & Co. have their back against the wall and need to produce some scintillating performances to march their way back into the tournament.

'Played long enough with him...' - Gambhir feels Dhoni had no role behind India's knee-jerk changes vs NZ

Team India will face Mohammad Nabi-led Afghanistan in their third encounter of the Super 12 round in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. The Men in Blue will have to raise their game in order to keep themselves alive in the competition as another defeat will surely end their campaign in the marquee tournament.

The Virat Kohli-led side have been a pale shadow of themselves with back-to-back defeats in their two encounters so far. Kohli &amp; Co. went down to their arch-rivals Pakistan by ten wickets in their tournament-opener whereas Kane Williamson-led New Zealand thrashed the one-time winners by eight wickets in their following match. On the other hand, Afghanistan have been a far-better side, having two wins from three encounters. They thrashed Namibia and Scotland whereas lost a close match to Pakistan. With them being serious contenders for the semi-finals, the Afghan side will also like to be on their toes with two big games coming up -- versus India and New Zealand, respectively.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-world-cup-ind-vs-afg-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-india-vs-afghanistan-match-426357">T20 World Cup, IND vs AFG live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Afghanistan match?</a>

Both India and Afghanistan have met twice in T20 WC history. India won on both occasions, in 2010 and 2012 editions. However, given how India are faring and how much Afghanistan have improved, things will be pretty tough for the 2007 winners.

Match prediction for India vs Afghanistan face-off:&nbsp;India will be turning up at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi for the first time in this&nbsp;T20 WC. They will find it tough to adjust to the surfaces here, after playing New Zealand in Dubai only a couple of days ago. Normally, the track offers something to the pacers but run-making isn't very difficult. Expect a 155-plus scoring encounter with chasing side to hold the edge.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-r-ashwin-or-rahul-chahar-for-varun-chakravarthy-predicting-indias-xi-for-afghanistan-clash-426344">T20 WC: R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar for Varun Chakravarthy? Predicting India's XI for Afghanistan clash</a>

Afghanistan took a brave call to bat first versus Pakistan, given how much they trust their spinners to strangle oppositions. Will they repeat the same versus India, who also have their own reservations in setting up a target.

Team India will face Mohammad Nabi-led Afghanistan in their third encounter of the Super 12 round in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. The Men in Blue will have to raise their game in order to keep themselves alive in the competition as another defeat will surely end their campaign in the marquee tournament.

Team India will face Mohammad Nabi-led Afghanistan in their third encounter of the Super 12 round in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. The Men in Blue will have to raise their game in order to keep themselves alive in the competition as another defeat will surely end their campaign in the marquee tournament. The Virat Kohli-led side have been a pale shadow of themselves with back-to-back defeats in their two encounters so far. Kohli & Co. went down to their arch-rivals Pakistan by ten wickets in their tournament-opener whereas Kane Williamson-led New Zealand thrashed the one-time winners by eight wickets in their following match. On the other hand, Afghanistan have been a far-better side, having two wins from three encounters. They thrashed Namibia and Scotland whereas lost a close match to Pakistan. With them being serious contenders for the semi-finals, the Afghan side will also like to be on their toes with two big games coming up -- versus India and New Zealand, respectively. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup, IND vs AFG live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Afghanistan match? Both India and Afghanistan have met twice in T20 WC history. India won on both occasions, in 2010 and 2012 editions. However, given how India are faring and how much Afghanistan have improved, things will be pretty tough for the 2007 winners. Match prediction for India vs Afghanistan face-off: India will be turning up at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi for the first time in this T20 WC. They will find it tough to adjust to the surfaces here, after playing New Zealand in Dubai only a couple of days ago. Normally, the track offers something to the pacers but run-making isn't very difficult. Expect a 155-plus scoring encounter with chasing side to hold the edge. ALSO READ | T20 WC: R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar for Varun Chakravarthy? Predicting India's XI for Afghanistan clash Afghanistan took a brave call to bat first versus Pakistan, given how much they trust their spinners to strangle oppositions. Will they repeat the same versus India, who also have their own reservations in setting up a target.

IND vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2021 prediction: Who will win today's match between India and Afghanistan?

Team India will lock horns with Afghanistan in their third encounter in the Super 12 round of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. This will be the second game of the day, with New Zealand taking on the lowly-ranked Scotland in the afternoon clash.&nbsp;

India find themselves in a peculiar position after having lost two games on the trot. They started their campaign versus Babar Azam-led Pakistan and were thrashed by the arch-rivals by ten wickets. In their second game, many expected Virat Kohli-led India to stage a comeback, however, they fell like nine pins to lose by 9 wickets.&nbsp;

Hence, India need to win against Afghanistan in order to stay alive in the semi-finals race, where they are in contention only mathematically. On the other hand, Afghanistan have won two and lost one in the Super 12 round. The Mohammad Nabi-led Afghan side will hope to continue to win and straightaway qualify for the semi-finals as they already have a superior net run-rate under their belt. Any slip-up by them will keep New Zealand, and also India, in the hunt for the second semi-final spot from Pool B.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/t20-wc-r-ashwin-or-rahul-chahar-for-varun-chakravarthy-predicting-indias-xi-for-afghanistan-clash-426344">T20 WC: R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar for Varun Chakravarthy? Predicting India's XI for Afghanistan clash</a>

Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match:

Where is the T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan taking place?

The T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan&nbsp;will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

What time does the T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan&nbsp;begin?

The T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan&nbsp;begins at 7:30 PM IST on Wednesday.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-wins-hearts-as-they-congratulate-namibia-on-their-inspiring-t20-wc-journey-watch-426316">Pakistan wins hearts as they congratulate Namibia on their inspiring T20 WC journey - WATCH</a>

Where and how to watch live coverage of the T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan?

The T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan&nbsp;will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the T20 World Cup match between ENG vs WI will be available on Hotstar. The T20 World Cup matches will be shown on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports HD, and DD Sports

Team India will lock horns with Afghanistan in their third encounter in the Super 12 round of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. This will be the second game of the day, with New Zealand taking on the lowly-ranked Scotland in the afternoon clash.

Team India will lock horns with Afghanistan in their third encounter in the Super 12 round of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. This will be the second game of the day, with New Zealand taking on the lowly-ranked Scotland in the afternoon clash. India find themselves in a peculiar position after having lost two games on the trot. They started their campaign versus Babar Azam-led Pakistan and were thrashed by the arch-rivals by ten wickets. In their second game, many expected Virat Kohli-led India to stage a comeback, however, they fell like nine pins to lose by 9 wickets. Hence, India need to win against Afghanistan in order to stay alive in the semi-finals race, where they are in contention only mathematically. On the other hand, Afghanistan have won two and lost one in the Super 12 round. The Mohammad Nabi-led Afghan side will hope to continue to win and straightaway qualify for the semi-finals as they already have a superior net run-rate under their belt. Any slip-up by them will keep New Zealand, and also India, in the hunt for the second semi-final spot from Pool B. ALSO READ | T20 WC: R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar for Varun Chakravarthy? Predicting India's XI for Afghanistan clash Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match: Where is the T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan taking place? The T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi. What time does the T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan begin? The T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan begins at 7:30 PM IST on Wednesday. ALSO READ | Pakistan wins hearts as they congratulate Namibia on their inspiring T20 WC journey - WATCH Where and how to watch live coverage of the T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan? The T20 World Cup match between India vs Afghanistan will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the T20 World Cup match between ENG vs WI will be available on Hotstar. The T20 World Cup matches will be shown on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports HD, and DD Sports

T20 World Cup, IND vs AFG live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Afghanistan match?

Team India were termed as one of the strongest contenders for the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. The Virat Kohli-led side won the two warm-up encounters with ease but have fallen apart since then to lose both their matches in the Super 12 round so far. After being thrashed by Pakistan and New Zealand, the Men in Blue are starring on the brink of an early elimination and need to get their act together if they want to remain alive in the semi-finals race.

The next challenge for Team India is against Afghanistan. The Mohammad Nabi-led Afghan side have been impressive so far in the showpiece event. They won and lost a game each in the warm-up round and now have two wins from three encounters in the Super 12. If they win their remaining two games, versus India and New Zealand respectively, they will qualify for the semi-finals as they already have a superior net run-rate.&nbsp;

For India, they are once again dealing with problems of plenty and have failed to manage their resources wisely. The move to drop down Rohit Sharma to No. 3 in order to accommodate Ishan Kishan at the top, versus the Black Caps, was heavily criticised. Their batters have to get used to the surfaces in the UAE and need to work on their sluggish strike-rates. On the other hand, the one-time winners will also need to tweak their bowling line-up in the game versus Afghanistan.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-wins-hearts-as-they-congratulate-namibia-on-their-inspiring-t20-wc-journey-watch-426316">Pakistan wins hearts as they congratulate Namibia on their inspiring T20 WC journey - WATCH</a>

Predicting India's XI versus Afghanistan: Rohit is expected to return to the top with KL Rahul as his opening partner. Ishan Kishan can take the No. 3 spot, followed by Captain Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja. In the bowling department, it will be interesting to see if India replace Varun Chakravarthy with either R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar. Calls for Ashwin's inclusion is gaining momentum and he might be handy versus the Afghanistan line-up.

India can go ahead with Ashwin/Chahar/Chakravarthy whereas Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami can form the pace unit.&nbsp;

India's possible XI versus Afghanistan: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin/Rahul Chahar/Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami

Team India were termed as one of the strongest contenders for the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. The Virat Kohli-led side won the two warm-up encounters with ease but have fallen apart since then to lose both their matches in the Super 12 round so far.

Team India were termed as one of the strongest contenders for the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE. The Virat Kohli-led side won the two warm-up encounters with ease but have fallen apart since then to lose both their matches in the Super 12 round so far. After being thrashed by Pakistan and New Zealand, the Men in Blue are starring on the brink of an early elimination and need to get their act together if they want to remain alive in the semi-finals race. The next challenge for Team India is against Afghanistan. The Mohammad Nabi-led Afghan side have been impressive so far in the showpiece event. They won and lost a game each in the warm-up round and now have two wins from three encounters in the Super 12. If they win their remaining two games, versus India and New Zealand respectively, they will qualify for the semi-finals as they already have a superior net run-rate. For India, they are once again dealing with problems of plenty and have failed to manage their resources wisely. The move to drop down Rohit Sharma to No. 3 in order to accommodate Ishan Kishan at the top, versus the Black Caps, was heavily criticised. Their batters have to get used to the surfaces in the UAE and need to work on their sluggish strike-rates. On the other hand, the one-time winners will also need to tweak their bowling line-up in the game versus Afghanistan. ALSO READ | Pakistan wins hearts as they congratulate Namibia on their inspiring T20 WC journey - WATCH Predicting India's XI versus Afghanistan: Rohit is expected to return to the top with KL Rahul as his opening partner. Ishan Kishan can take the No. 3 spot, followed by Captain Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja. In the bowling department, it will be interesting to see if India replace Varun Chakravarthy with either R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar. Calls for Ashwin's inclusion is gaining momentum and he might be handy versus the Afghanistan line-up. India can go ahead with Ashwin/Chahar/Chakravarthy whereas Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami can form the pace unit. India's possible XI versus Afghanistan: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin/Rahul Chahar/Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami

T20 WC: R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar for Varun Chakravarthy? Predicting India's XI for Afghanistan clash

Afghanistan star spinner Rashid Khan on Tuesday urged fans to "respect the rules and support" the organisers of the T20 World Cup by coming to the stadium with a ticket. More than 16,000 tickets had been issued for the game between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Dubai. However, thousands of ticketless fans travelled to the venue and then attempted to force entry into the stadium last week.

"I`m super excited about tomorrow`s AFGvIND game. I was disappointed at the scenes last weekend; we need to fly our national flag high and do our country proud. Pls respect rules &amp; support the organisers @ICC@T20WorldCup@AbuDhabiCricket, only coming to the stadium with a ticket," tweeted Rashid.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-set-to-lose-odi-captaincy-as-india-on-verge-of-early-exit-in-t20-world-cup-reports-426160">Virat Kohli set to lose ODI captaincy as India on verge of early exit in T20 World Cup: Reports</a>

After the incident, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had asked the Emirates Cricket Board to undertake a full investigation regarding crowd behaviour during the ICC men`s T20 World Cup game between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, it will be a change in venue for India after playing both their opening games at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium as they will play Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan star spinner Rashid Khan on Tuesday urged fans to "respect the rules and support" the organisers of the T20 World Cup by coming to the stadium with a ticket.

Afghanistan star spinner Rashid Khan on Tuesday urged fans to "respect the rules and support" the organisers of the T20 World Cup by coming to the stadium with a ticket. More than 16,000 tickets had been issued for the game between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Dubai. However, thousands of ticketless fans travelled to the venue and then attempted to force entry into the stadium last week. "I`m super excited about tomorrow`s AFGvIND game. I was disappointed at the scenes last weekend; we need to fly our national flag high and do our country proud. Pls respect rules & support the organisers @ICC@T20WorldCup@AbuDhabiCricket, only coming to the stadium with a ticket," tweeted Rashid. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli set to lose ODI captaincy as India on verge of early exit in T20 World Cup: Reports After the incident, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had asked the Emirates Cricket Board to undertake a full investigation regarding crowd behaviour during the ICC men`s T20 World Cup game between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, it will be a change in venue for India after playing both their opening games at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium as they will play Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

T20 WC: Rashid Khan urges fans to 'respect rules' and come to stadium with tickets for India face-off

Virat Kohli-led Team India's hopes of making it to the semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World 2021 suffered a massive blow after their eight-wicket loss against New Zealand on Sunday (October 31) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Virat Kohli-led Team India's hopes of making it to the semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World 2021 suffered a massive blow after their eight-wicket loss against New Zealand on Sunday (October 31) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This was India's second defeat in the Super 12 stage as they suffered an embarrassing loss to arch-rivals Pakistan by 10 wickets and are now in danger of missing the semi-finals. Reflecting on the game, Indian skipper Kohli said that the team was not "brave" as he added, "We have to be optimistic and positive and take calculated risks. We have to disconnect from the pressure and continue with our process and play a positive brand of cricket. There's a lot of cricket to play in the tournament." Being optimistic is one thing, but to make it to the semi-final is an uphill battle, however, India can still reach the last four considering several factors. Here's how India can still qualify for the semis: ALSO READ | 'We weren't brave enough': Virat Kohli demands more from teammates as New Zealand thrash India After losing two matches against Pakistan and New Zealand, India's run rate at the moment is quite low, which is -1.609. A low run rate means they either have to finish points clear of their rivals for qualification or hope for big margins of victory to book a berth in the semi-final. However, it's not going to be an easy road as Afghanistan, with four points to their name, pose one of the biggest hurdles with a staggering +3.097 NRR. They hammered Scotland to register a 130-run win to have such net run rate. So, the match against Afghanistan becomes a must-win with a huge margin as a loss would mean India's chances of making it to the semis from Group 2 will be over. After Afghanistan, the Virat Kohli & Co. will hope to win against Namibia and Scotland with bigger margins to redress their NRR. However, they would also be hoping that New Zealand face defeat in its upcoming fixtures against Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland which looks unlikely at the moment, counting on the current form of Kane Williamson's side. ALSO READ | Watch: Mohammed Shami gets rousing welcome by crowd during India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup match Things are getting pretty interesting 🤩 Which two sides will qualify from Group 2? 🤔#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/2NSTjsYjoZ — T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 31, 2021 × India's upcoming fixture: -India vs Afghanistan on November 3 at 7:30pm (IST) -India vs Scotland on November 5 at 7:30pm (IST) -India vs Namibia on November 8 at 7:30pm (IST)

T20 World Cup: As Virat Kohli is optimistic, here's how India can still reach the semi-finals

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) has been criticised for using word "thump" in one of their tweets while posting India's hard-fought win over Afghanistan on Saturday.&nbsp;

In a last over thriller, India registered an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-mohammed-shami-hat-trick-seals-narrow-india-win-over-afghanistan-229641">11-run win over Afghanistan</a> in the 28th match of Cricket World Cup 2019 in Southampton.&nbsp;

After a brilliant bowling display, Afganistan restricted India to 224 for eight and Mohammad Nabi had almost pulled off a win, taking the contest to the last over.&nbsp;

However, Indian pacer Mohammed Shami struck thrice (grabbed a hat-trick) in the final over&nbsp;to inspire India towards victory.&nbsp;

The official Twitter handle of India's cricket board posted the final result with a captain: "And we march on - #TeamIndia thump Afghanistan by 11 runs".

<img alt="BCCI Tweet" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="87447011-d9cc-4ad0-9d5b-83f2ed5d2a6d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/sports-22.jpg" />

Within seconds, cricket fans&nbsp;noticed the gloating tone of the BCCI tweet and started replying to it.&nbsp;

"Thump? That is hugely disingenuous to a team that pushed you to the last over. Well played Afghanistan and perhaps India can learn how to win graciously," a Twitter user, who goes by the name leebailey, said.

Another user posted, "That's not called "thump". That's called escaping by the skin of their teeth. Well played Afghanistan!"

Two-time world champions India are unbeaten with four wins and a washout from five games as they move closer to a semi-final place.

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) has been criticised for using word "thump" in one of their tweets while posting India's hard-fought win over Afghanistan on Saturday.

The Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) has been criticised for using word "thump" in one of their tweets while posting India's hard-fought win over Afghanistan on Saturday. In a last over thriller, India registered an 11-run win over Afghanistan in the 28th match of Cricket World Cup 2019 in Southampton. After a brilliant bowling display, Afganistan restricted India to 224 for eight and Mohammad Nabi had almost pulled off a win, taking the contest to the last over. However, Indian pacer Mohammed Shami struck thrice (grabbed a hat-trick) in the final over to inspire India towards victory. The official Twitter handle of India's cricket board posted the final result with a captain: "And we march on - #TeamIndia thump Afghanistan by 11 runs". Within seconds, cricket fans noticed the gloating tone of the BCCI tweet and started replying to it. "Thump? That is hugely disingenuous to a team that pushed you to the last over. Well played Afghanistan and perhaps India can learn how to win graciously," a Twitter user, who goes by the name leebailey, said. Another user posted, "That's not called "thump". That's called escaping by the skin of their teeth. Well played Afghanistan!" Two-time world champions India are unbeaten with four wins and a washout from five games as they move closer to a semi-final place.

Twitterati criticise BCCI for wrong choice of word to describe India's narrow win over Afghanistan

India captain Virat Kohli Saturday said the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-cup-mohammed-shami-hat-trick-seals-narrow-india-win-over-afghanistan-229641">hard-fought win over Afghanistan</a> in the Word Cup was much-needed as it helped the two-time champions to show their character and clinch a victory from the jaws of defeat.&nbsp;

Mohammed Shami's last-over hattrick Saturday saved India from a mighty scare after they managed to pip Afghanistan by 11 runs to inch closer towards World Cup semi-finals. &nbsp;

Shami (9.5-1-40-4), playing his first match, not only successfully defended 16 runs off the last over but also dismissed the dangerous Mohammed Nabi (52 off 55 balls), Aftab Alam (0) and Mujeeb ur Rahman (0) off successive deliveries to complete the rare feat.&nbsp;

Afghanistan were bowled out for 213 in pursuit of a manageable 225 run target which at one stage looked gettable after the Indian middle-order flopped in their first World Cup test.&nbsp;

"This game was way more important for us, because things didn't go as planned. That's when you need to show character and bounce back," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony.&nbsp;

Drafted into the playing eleven in place of injured Bhuvneswar Kumar, Shami Saturday became only the second Indian cricketer to register a hattrick in World Cup after Chetan Sharma, who achieved the feat in 1987.&nbsp;

Kohli, thus, was effusive in his praise for the speedster.&nbsp;

"Everyone's waiting for an opportunity. Shami was really good today. He was making the ball move more than anybody. We knew these guys were hungry," he said.&nbsp;

Rating the win over Afghanistan as a special one, the India captain said the wicket was a difficult one for stroke-making because of its two-paced nature.&nbsp;

"This is right up there (as a win). You win the toss, and you decide to bat and then you see the wicket slow down. You think 260 or 270 would be a good total," he said. &nbsp;

"At the halfway stage, we had our doubts in our minds, but we also had self-belief in the change rooms. As soon as I went in, I understood the pace of the pitch. Cross-batted shots aren't on, and a lot of horizontal bat shots cost us on this pitch." &nbsp;

Kohli also praised man-of-the-match Jasprit Bumrah for his impressive bowling display that brought India back into the contest. &nbsp;

"It's simple - we want to use him (Bumrah) smartly. When he takes one or two wickets, he can go on, but otherwise we try to ensure the opposition knows that he has seven or so overs to go," he said.&nbsp;

Man-of-the-match Bumrah (2/39) said Kohli's belief in his ability spurs him to do do better every time he runs into bowl. &nbsp;

"That gives you a lot of confidence when the captain has so much trust in you. Helps me keep a clearer head," he said.&nbsp;

Bumrah also elaborated on India's strategy while defending the low total.&nbsp;

"We saw the wicket getting slower and slower. You had to be accurate and it's a big ground, so you had go for the yorkers and bowl wicket-to-wicket. &nbsp;

"What we wanted to do was that when you run behind wickets, you don't get wickets. Our plan was to get the run-rate high and create chances," he said.&nbsp;

Bumrah too praised his pace bowling colleague Shami for his impressive display on his maiden outing in the ongoing World Cup.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"That's very good, because it gives us healthy competition within the side. We discuss what the plans are, and it's great when everybody is chipping in with wickets," he said.&nbsp;

Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib showered praise on his bowling unit but said Bumrah eventually made the difference. &nbsp;

"We bowled really well, and everybody in the batting lineup was strong. We did well in the batting too, but credit goes to Bumrah for the way he bowled in the last three overs. He was superb," he said. &nbsp;

"The wicket was really good for batting during the first half. The spinners stuck to the plan, and they did really well. We had other options than Rashid (Khan) and Mujeeb (Ur Rahman), but in the backend, Aftab (Alam) and I also bowled well, but India is a good side, and a favourite side." &nbsp;

He, however, said such tough games against strong teams like India will do a world of good for Afghanistan. &nbsp;

"The total was not that much (to chase) but in the middle, we needed some 80s and 100s, 20s and 30s aren't enough against a team like this. When chasing 220s, you need some batsmen to take responsibility and go longer.

"We have lost four games very badly, but last two games we have played really well. This is tough cricket against high-ranking teams, and you have to fight your best," Naib said.

India captain Virat Kohli Saturday said the hard-fought win over Afghanistan in the Word Cup was much-needed as it helped the two-time champions to show their character and clinch a victory from the jaws of defeat.

India captain Virat Kohli Saturday said the hard-fought win over Afghanistan in the Word Cup was much-needed as it helped the two-time champions to show their character and clinch a victory from the jaws of defeat. Mohammed Shami's last-over hattrick Saturday saved India from a mighty scare after they managed to pip Afghanistan by 11 runs to inch closer towards World Cup semi-finals. Shami (9.5-1-40-4), playing his first match, not only successfully defended 16 runs off the last over but also dismissed the dangerous Mohammed Nabi (52 off 55 balls), Aftab Alam (0) and Mujeeb ur Rahman (0) off successive deliveries to complete the rare feat. Afghanistan were bowled out for 213 in pursuit of a manageable 225 run target which at one stage looked gettable after the Indian middle-order flopped in their first World Cup test. "This game was way more important for us, because things didn't go as planned. That's when you need to show character and bounce back," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony. Drafted into the playing eleven in place of injured Bhuvneswar Kumar, Shami Saturday became only the second Indian cricketer to register a hattrick in World Cup after Chetan Sharma, who achieved the feat in 1987. Kohli, thus, was effusive in his praise for the speedster. "Everyone's waiting for an opportunity. Shami was really good today. He was making the ball move more than anybody. We knew these guys were hungry," he said. Rating the win over Afghanistan as a special one, the India captain said the wicket was a difficult one for stroke-making because of its two-paced nature. "This is right up there (as a win). You win the toss, and you decide to bat and then you see the wicket slow down. You think 260 or 270 would be a good total," he said. "At the halfway stage, we had our doubts in our minds, but we also had self-belief in the change rooms. As soon as I went in, I understood the pace of the pitch. Cross-batted shots aren't on, and a lot of horizontal bat shots cost us on this pitch." Kohli also praised man-of-the-match Jasprit Bumrah for his impressive bowling display that brought India back into the contest. "It's simple - we want to use him (Bumrah) smartly. When he takes one or two wickets, he can go on, but otherwise we try to ensure the opposition knows that he has seven or so overs to go," he said. Man-of-the-match Bumrah (2/39) said Kohli's belief in his ability spurs him to do do better every time he runs into bowl. "That gives you a lot of confidence when the captain has so much trust in you. Helps me keep a clearer head," he said. Bumrah also elaborated on India's strategy while defending the low total. "We saw the wicket getting slower and slower. You had to be accurate and it's a big ground, so you had go for the yorkers and bowl wicket-to-wicket. "What we wanted to do was that when you run behind wickets, you don't get wickets. Our plan was to get the run-rate high and create chances," he said. Bumrah too praised his pace bowling colleague Shami for his impressive display on his maiden outing in the ongoing World Cup. "That's very good, because it gives us healthy competition within the side. We discuss what the plans are, and it's great when everybody is chipping in with wickets," he said. Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib showered praise on his bowling unit but said Bumrah eventually made the difference. "We bowled really well, and everybody in the batting lineup was strong. We did well in the batting too, but credit goes to Bumrah for the way he bowled in the last three overs. He was superb," he said. "The wicket was really good for batting during the first half. The spinners stuck to the plan, and they did really well. We had other options than Rashid (Khan) and Mujeeb (Ur Rahman), but in the backend, Aftab (Alam) and I also bowled well, but India is a good side, and a favourite side." He, however, said such tough games against strong teams like India will do a world of good for Afghanistan. "The total was not that much (to chase) but in the middle, we needed some 80s and 100s, 20s and 30s aren't enough against a team like this. When chasing 220s, you need some batsmen to take responsibility and go longer. "We have lost four games very badly, but last two games we have played really well. This is tough cricket against high-ranking teams, and you have to fight your best," Naib said.

The hard-fought win over Afghanistan was important for us: Virat Kohli

Unbeaten India will look to inch closer to the semi-finals when they take on a battered Afghanistan at Southampton. With seven points from four matches, Virat Kohli's side are comfortably poised to make the next round. Former New Zealand all-rounder and four-time World Cupper Chris Harris gives his insights on whether India should experiment with their playing XI and give the likes of Kedar Jadhav or Dinesh Karthik a run-in in order to keep them match-ready and reduce injury concerns of the regular starting XI.

World Cup: India vs Afghanistan - Preview

Afghanistan restricted India to an achievable target as the 'Men in Blue' struggled against Afghan spinners and posted&nbsp;224 for eight in their 50 overs in the Match 28 of Cricket World Cup 2019.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/live-updates-cricket-world-cup-2019-match-28-india-vs-afghanistan-229477">India made a sluggish start</a> after electing to bat first but the top batting order failed to leave any impact despite skipper Virat Kohli, who scored 67 from 63 balls in Southampton on Saturday.&nbsp;

Fans and spectators categorically criticised former India skipper MS Dhoni for his slow innings.&nbsp;

Dhoni struggled to find any fluency, hitting 28 off 52 balls before he was stumped by Ikram Alikhil off the bowling of Rashid.&nbsp;

This was the first time in eight years, Dhoni was stumped and only the second in his One-Day International&nbsp;career, both times in World Cup.&nbsp;

In World Cup 2011, on Devendra Bishoo's ball, Dhoni was stumped by wicket-keeper Devon Thomas.&nbsp;

Overall, Dhoni has been stumped on six occasions in his international cricket career.&nbsp;

Afghanistan restricted India to an achievable target as the 'Men in Blue' struggled against Afghan spinners and posted 224 for eight in their 50 overs in the Match 28 of Cricket World Cup 2019.

Afghanistan restricted India to an achievable target as the 'Men in Blue' struggled against Afghan spinners and posted 224 for eight in their 50 overs in the Match 28 of Cricket World Cup 2019. India made a sluggish start after electing to bat first but the top batting order failed to leave any impact despite skipper Virat Kohli, who scored 67 from 63 balls in Southampton on Saturday. Fans and spectators categorically criticised former India skipper MS Dhoni for his slow innings. Dhoni struggled to find any fluency, hitting 28 off 52 balls before he was stumped by Ikram Alikhil off the bowling of Rashid. This was the first time in eight years, Dhoni was stumped and only the second in his One-Day International career, both times in World Cup. In World Cup 2011, on Devendra Bishoo's ball, Dhoni was stumped by wicket-keeper Devon Thomas. Overall, Dhoni has been stumped on six occasions in his international cricket career.

World Cup: MS Dhoni stumped in ODIs for the first time in 8 years

Indian skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=virat+kohli">Virat Kohli</a> said that the game of cricket has the potential to make a difference in children's lives as it improves the players as a human being.&nbsp;

Virat Kohli along with teammates KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant enjoyed some quality time playing cricket with school children at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Thursday.&nbsp;

The cricket clinic for school kids has been arranged on a regular basis by the International Cricket Council (ICC) during the Cricket World Cup 2019, which is underway. &nbsp;

"I believe cricket can really make a difference to children's lives. It really improves you as a human being because it makes you go through phases which are very similar to life," Kohli said in a video posted by the official website of the Cricket World Cup.&nbsp;

"You understand downfalls; you understand good phases and how to come back from difficult times. So, I think cricket is really a great teacher in many ways," he added.&nbsp;

Watch the video:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
🏏 "I believe that cricket can really make a difference to children's lives" 
 
Virat Kohli bats for Cricket4Good. Watch here ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/cu3uY31RAt">pic.twitter.com/cu3uY31RAt</a>
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketworldcup/status/1141926400812814336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

India are at fourth position in the 10-team points table and preparing to face Afghanistan on Saturday.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Spending time with kids is an absolute joy and an opportunity to contribute to their journey in some way. Such honesty and commitment in whatever kids do. So much to learn as well and the biggest learning is to Never forget the joy of playing this great game. 😇😇 <a href="https://t.co/7cHBCb9Arn">pic.twitter.com/7cHBCb9Arn</a>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1141701678015508481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"Spending time with kids is an absolute joy and an opportunity to contribute to their journey in some way. Such honesty and commitment in whatever kids do. So much to learn as well and the biggest learning is to never forget the joy of playing this great game," Kohli tweeted.&nbsp;

Indian skipper Virat Kohli said that the game of cricket has the potential to make a difference in children's lives as it improves the players as a human being. Virat Kohli along with teammates KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant enjoyed some quality time playing cricket with school children at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Thursday.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli said that the game of cricket has the potential to make a difference in children's lives as it improves the players as a human being. Virat Kohli along with teammates KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant enjoyed some quality time playing cricket with school children at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Thursday. The cricket clinic for school kids has been arranged on a regular basis by the International Cricket Council (ICC) during the Cricket World Cup 2019, which is underway. "I believe cricket can really make a difference to children's lives. It really improves you as a human being because it makes you go through phases which are very similar to life," Kohli said in a video posted by the official website of the Cricket World Cup. "You understand downfalls; you understand good phases and how to come back from difficult times. So, I think cricket is really a great teacher in many ways," he added. Watch the video: 🏏 "I believe that cricket can really make a difference to children's lives" Virat Kohli bats for Cricket4Good. Watch here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cu3uY31RAt — Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 21, 2019 × India are at fourth position in the 10-team points table and preparing to face Afghanistan on Saturday. Spending time with kids is an absolute joy and an opportunity to contribute to their journey in some way. Such honesty and commitment in whatever kids do. So much to learn as well and the biggest learning is to Never forget the joy of playing this great game. 😇😇 pic.twitter.com/7cHBCb9Arn — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 20, 2019 × "Spending time with kids is an absolute joy and an opportunity to contribute to their journey in some way. Such honesty and commitment in whatever kids do. So much to learn as well and the biggest learning is to never forget the joy of playing this great game," Kohli tweeted.

'Cricket improves you as a human being,' says Indian skipper Virat Kohli

Australia will eye a series win when they take on India in the second T20I of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/1st-t20i-rohit-falls-cheaply-in-174-chase-178589">three-match series </a>at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

While India will hope for a turn-around in a must-win clash to keep the series alive.

In the first match, India made few sloppy mistakes in the field&nbsp;that proved to be the ultimate difference in a game.

In fact,&nbsp;Kohli himself was guilty of poor effort on the field on at least two occasions, dropping counterpart Aaron Finch in the fourth over and later involved in a misfielding from the deep.

On the eve of the series, Virat Kohli said that the team will look to minimise the mistakes&nbsp;happened during their recently concluded England and West Indies series.

"We don't want to be a team that wins one odd test match here and there," Kohli told reporters. "We have figured out our mistakes in England which, I have mentioned before, were very radical.

"The quality of cricket was very high but our mistakes were as radical and that's why we lost the games. We won the game in which we committed fewer mistakes. We were at par with the other team throughout," Virat added.

India, currently the top test team, have not lost a home series since late 2012 but have struggled outside the sub-continent, beaten 2-1 in South Africa and 4-1 in England this year.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Melbourne! We are here for the 2nd T20I <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AUSvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AUSvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/8xEp62g3Ex">pic.twitter.com/8xEp62g3Ex</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1065533218726658048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The Indian batting line-up could see some changes which is also the urgent need of an hour.

KL Rahul's performance, in particular, scrutinised, since scoring 101 not out in the first T20I against England at Manchester, Rahul hasn't been able to cross the 30-run mark in next six matches.&nbsp;

He occupies a very crucial, number three, batting spot in the current squad.

There is a special need to check the bowling department as per the behaviour of MCG's pitch.

Krunal Pandya was plundered for 55 runs in his four wicketless overs and was hit for as many as half a dozen sixes.&nbsp;

If the MCG is also of Gabba's nature, Kohli might be tempted to bring in leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who boasts of a brilliant wicket-taking record in T20Is.

While he can not take the risk of giving away an additional batsman.

Australia boasts of bigger grounds than in India, with bigger boundaries of course, and the MCG will prove to be another humongous challenge in that regard.&nbsp;

The task is cut out in front of the team management to work on fielding angles to elevate their efforts in the second T20I.&nbsp;

It doesn't help that there is such a short turn-around time during this series, that fielding coach R Sridhar won't be able to work with the players at the MCG.

Any improvements in the field will have to be drilled in theoretically in the dressing room. And thus India will also seek to look at other areas where improvements can be made.&nbsp;

The ploy to introduce Adam Zampa as the lone spinner worked wonders for Australia and with an intense fielding effort, Australia were able to make a winning difference.&nbsp;

Things seem very different in the hosts' camp all of a sudden when they were simply considered second best to the Men in Blue across all departments less than 48 hours ago.

Melbourne is experiencing a stormy spell in the latter half of this week, so there is a slight chance that the second T20I could also be rain-affected.

Australia will eye a series win when they take on India in the second T20I of a three-match series at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. While India will hope for a turn-around in a must-win clash to keep the series alive.

Australia will eye a series win when they take on India in the second T20I of a three-match series at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday. While India will hope for a turn-around in a must-win clash to keep the series alive. In the first match, India made few sloppy mistakes in the field that proved to be the ultimate difference in a game. In fact, Kohli himself was guilty of poor effort on the field on at least two occasions, dropping counterpart Aaron Finch in the fourth over and later involved in a misfielding from the deep. On the eve of the series, Virat Kohli said that the team will look to minimise the mistakes happened during their recently concluded England and West Indies series. "We don't want to be a team that wins one odd test match here and there," Kohli told reporters. "We have figured out our mistakes in England which, I have mentioned before, were very radical. "The quality of cricket was very high but our mistakes were as radical and that's why we lost the games. We won the game in which we committed fewer mistakes. We were at par with the other team throughout," Virat added. India, currently the top test team, have not lost a home series since late 2012 but have struggled outside the sub-continent, beaten 2-1 in South Africa and 4-1 in England this year. Melbourne! We are here for the 2nd T20I #TeamIndia #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/8xEp62g3Ex — BCCI (@BCCI) November 22, 2018 × The Indian batting line-up could see some changes which is also the urgent need of an hour. KL Rahul's performance, in particular, scrutinised, since scoring 101 not out in the first T20I against England at Manchester, Rahul hasn't been able to cross the 30-run mark in next six matches. He occupies a very crucial, number three, batting spot in the current squad. There is a special need to check the bowling department as per the behaviour of MCG's pitch. Krunal Pandya was plundered for 55 runs in his four wicketless overs and was hit for as many as half a dozen sixes. If the MCG is also of Gabba's nature, Kohli might be tempted to bring in leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who boasts of a brilliant wicket-taking record in T20Is. While he can not take the risk of giving away an additional batsman. Australia boasts of bigger grounds than in India, with bigger boundaries of course, and the MCG will prove to be another humongous challenge in that regard. The task is cut out in front of the team management to work on fielding angles to elevate their efforts in the second T20I. It doesn't help that there is such a short turn-around time during this series, that fielding coach R Sridhar won't be able to work with the players at the MCG. Any improvements in the field will have to be drilled in theoretically in the dressing room. And thus India will also seek to look at other areas where improvements can be made. The ploy to introduce Adam Zampa as the lone spinner worked wonders for Australia and with an intense fielding effort, Australia were able to make a winning difference. Things seem very different in the hosts' camp all of a sudden when they were simply considered second best to the Men in Blue across all departments less than 48 hours ago. Melbourne is experiencing a stormy spell in the latter half of this week, so there is a slight chance that the second T20I could also be rain-affected.

2nd T20: Australia eye series victory, India look to minimise mistakes

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun made sure to repair the team after Afghanistan lost three early wickets on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Pakistani pacers, who have been out of form in the last few games, on Wednesday struck early to dismisses top three batsmen of Bangladesh in a virtual semi-final clash of the Asia Cup. &nbsp;

Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar and Mominul Haque were sent back to the pavilion on six, zero, and five respectively.

While Das and Sarkar lost their wicket to Junaid Khan, Haque was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi.&nbsp;

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat. The winning team will set up a date with India, who reached the finals after thumping victories against Bangladesh and Pakistan.&nbsp;

Speaking after the toss, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza said, "We would like to bat first. Looks a good wicket to bat on. Last match we lost many wickets in the middle overs but number 6 and 7 batted so well."

"Hopefully, we get a good start. We have been struggling with the top order but hopefully, we'll do well today. Sarkar comes back into the side. We have quite a few changes. Shanto is not playing, Rubel is back into the side."

"Big loss is that Shakib is not playing as he fractured his finger, hence Mominul comes in. Fans have been supporting us right throughout the tournament," he added.

Pakistan, on the other hand, will not leave a single stone unturned to win the game against Afghanistan and lock horns with India for the third time in finals.&nbsp;

Talking about their strategy for today, Pakistani skipper Sarfraz Ahmed said, "The conditions get different later in the night. But if you have wickets in hand, you can chase whatever the target is. I have asked the batsmen to play positive cricket, hopefully we bat well today."

"They have a good batting line-up. We'll try to get them out early and chase it down later. Junaid Khan comes in for Mohammad Amir," he added.&nbsp;

Teams:

Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Afridi

Bangladesh (Playing XI): Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mominul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun made sure to repair the team after Afghanistan lost three early wickets on Wednesday. Pakistani pacers, who have been out of form in the last few games, on Wednesday struck early to dismisses top three batsmen of Bangladesh in a virtual semi-final clash of the Asia Cup.

Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun made sure to repair the team after Afghanistan lost three early wickets on Wednesday. Pakistani pacers, who have been out of form in the last few games, on Wednesday struck early to dismisses top three batsmen of Bangladesh in a virtual semi-final clash of the Asia Cup. Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar and Mominul Haque were sent back to the pavilion on six, zero, and five respectively. While Das and Sarkar lost their wicket to Junaid Khan, Haque was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat. The winning team will set up a date with India, who reached the finals after thumping victories against Bangladesh and Pakistan. Speaking after the toss, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza said, "We would like to bat first. Looks a good wicket to bat on. Last match we lost many wickets in the middle overs but number 6 and 7 batted so well." "Hopefully, we get a good start. We have been struggling with the top order but hopefully, we'll do well today. Sarkar comes back into the side. We have quite a few changes. Shanto is not playing, Rubel is back into the side." "Big loss is that Shakib is not playing as he fractured his finger, hence Mominul comes in. Fans have been supporting us right throughout the tournament," he added. Pakistan, on the other hand, will not leave a single stone unturned to win the game against Afghanistan and lock horns with India for the third time in finals. Talking about their strategy for today, Pakistani skipper Sarfraz Ahmed said, "The conditions get different later in the night. But if you have wickets in hand, you can chase whatever the target is. I have asked the batsmen to play positive cricket, hopefully we bat well today." "They have a good batting line-up. We'll try to get them out early and chase it down later. Junaid Khan comes in for Mohammad Amir," he added. Teams: Pakistan (Playing XI): Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed(w/c), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Junaid Khan, Shaheen Afridi Bangladesh (Playing XI): Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim(w), Mominul Haque, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza(c), Mehidy Hasan, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman

Asia Cup: Rahim, Mithun repair top-order malfunction, Afghanistan 88/3 after 21 overs

After skipper Rohit Sharma decided to sit out from the Super Four dead rubber clash against Afghanistan on Tuesday, former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was handed over the captaincy duties for the Men in Blue.&nbsp;

The wicketkeeper-batsman, who is known for his cool and calm demeanour on the field, once again lost his cool and snapped at Kuldeep Yadav during Afghanistan’s innings.

In the middle of the match, the chinaman asked MS Dhoni for a field change in his over. But despite repeated instances from the 23-year-old, the skipper refused to make the alterations and asked Yadav to carry on with his bowling.&nbsp;

When Yadav continued to argue, Dhoni snapped back at the bowler saying, “Bowling karega ya bowler change karein? (Will you bowl or should we change the bowler?).”&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
That's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dhoni</a> during <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/INDvAFG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#INDvAFG</a> 
"Bowling karega ya bowler change karein" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSDhoni?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSDhoni</a> to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KuldeepYadav?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KuldeepYadav</a> when he insisted for a field change <a href="https://t.co/gQHFkBH9jB">pic.twitter.com/gQHFkBH9jB</a>
— Manoj Gupta (@PassionForNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/PassionForNews/status/1044840868283387905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Hearing Dhoni’s words, Kuldeep immediately went silent and stepped back to carry on the attack.

This was not the first time Kuldeep got to hear stern words from Dhoni.

Meanwhile, India, who are already in the finals, lost their way after the 110-run opening stand between Ambati Rayudu and KL Rahul. They were bowled out for 252, ending the match in a tie.

After skipper Rohit Sharma decided to sit out from the Super Four dead rubber clash against Afghanistan on Tuesday, former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was handed over the captaincy duties for the Men in Blue.

After skipper Rohit Sharma decided to sit out from the Super Four dead rubber clash against Afghanistan on Tuesday, former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was handed over the captaincy duties for the Men in Blue. The wicketkeeper-batsman, who is known for his cool and calm demeanour on the field, once again lost his cool and snapped at Kuldeep Yadav during Afghanistan’s innings. In the middle of the match, the chinaman asked MS Dhoni for a field change in his over. But despite repeated instances from the 23-year-old, the skipper refused to make the alterations and asked Yadav to carry on with his bowling. When Yadav continued to argue, Dhoni snapped back at the bowler saying, “Bowling karega ya bowler change karein? (Will you bowl or should we change the bowler?).” That's #Dhoni during #INDvAFG "Bowling karega ya bowler change karein" #MSDhoni to #KuldeepYadav when he insisted for a field change pic.twitter.com/gQHFkBH9jB — Manoj Gupta (@PassionForNews) September 26, 2018 × Hearing Dhoni’s words, Kuldeep immediately went silent and stepped back to carry on the attack. This was not the first time Kuldeep got to hear stern words from Dhoni. Meanwhile, India, who are already in the finals, lost their way after the 110-run opening stand between Ambati Rayudu and KL Rahul. They were bowled out for 252, ending the match in a tie.

Watch: MS Dhoni loses his cool on Kuldeep Yadav during India-Afghanistan game 

India could have easily won the thrilling clash against Afghanistan, which eventually ended in a draw, in the super four stage of the 2018 Asia Cup on Tuesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Postgame, umpteen reasons came out as to why India failed to register a win, including wrong umpiring decisions, run outs and others.&nbsp;

But, it was opener KL Rahul's demand to review umpire's decision that later in the game turned costly to the Indian cricket team.&nbsp;

MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik were given leg before by the on-field umpires but replays indicated that the ball was missing the stumps in both the cases. But the two could not ask for a review since it had already been used up.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Rahul accepted that he should not have taken the review after he was given out LBW in the 21st over.

"It's very tricky when you have just one review with you. Obviously, looking back at it, I felt like I shouldn't have taken the review but at that time, in the middle, I felt like maybe I was struck outside and I wanted to take that chance," Rahul said.

"Sometimes you can sit back here &amp; review the review you took...We learn with it. The shot I played, the review that I took, I'll have to go back &amp; maybe if it happens again I'll be in a better position to know, he added."

Meanwhile, Rahul scored a fighting 60 off 66 balls and went on to establish a 110-run opening partnership with Ambati Rayadu.&nbsp;

Evaluating the team's performance against Afghanistan, Rahul said, "I don't think we crumbled. When the ball starts slowing &amp; spinning like that, it is hard for middle order batsmen to come in &amp; get the runs going. I think DK (Dinesh Karthik) played really well &amp; in the end Jadeja &amp; Deepak put up a decent fight."&nbsp;

India booked their place in the finals of the Asia Cup with thumping victories over Bangladesh and Pakistan.&nbsp;

India could have easily won the thrilling clash against Afghanistan, which eventually ended in a draw, in the super four stage of the 2018 Asia Cup on Tuesday. Postgame, umpteen reasons came out as to why India failed to register a win, including wrong umpiring decisions, run outs and others.

India could have easily won the thrilling clash against Afghanistan, which eventually ended in a draw, in the super four stage of the 2018 Asia Cup on Tuesday. Postgame, umpteen reasons came out as to why India failed to register a win, including wrong umpiring decisions, run outs and others. But, it was opener KL Rahul's demand to review umpire's decision that later in the game turned costly to the Indian cricket team. MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik were given leg before by the on-field umpires but replays indicated that the ball was missing the stumps in both the cases. But the two could not ask for a review since it had already been used up. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Rahul accepted that he should not have taken the review after he was given out LBW in the 21st over. "It's very tricky when you have just one review with you. Obviously, looking back at it, I felt like I shouldn't have taken the review but at that time, in the middle, I felt like maybe I was struck outside and I wanted to take that chance," Rahul said. "Sometimes you can sit back here & review the review you took...We learn with it. The shot I played, the review that I took, I'll have to go back & maybe if it happens again I'll be in a better position to know, he added." Meanwhile, Rahul scored a fighting 60 off 66 balls and went on to establish a 110-run opening partnership with Ambati Rayadu. Evaluating the team's performance against Afghanistan, Rahul said, "I don't think we crumbled. When the ball starts slowing & spinning like that, it is hard for middle order batsmen to come in & get the runs going. I think DK (Dinesh Karthik) played really well & in the end Jadeja & Deepak put up a decent fight." India booked their place in the finals of the Asia Cup with thumping victories over Bangladesh and Pakistan.

India vs Afghanistan: 'Shouldn’t have taken the review', says KL Rahul

Afghanistan displayed a spectacular form of cricket to end the second last game of the Super four stage of 2018 Asia Cup&nbsp;in a draw against India.&nbsp;

The credit of the tie goes to a complete team effort by Afghanistan, be it in batting, bowling and fielding. Rashid, who bowled the last over, made it difficult for the Indian side to win.&nbsp;

Ravindra Jadeja, who faced the second-last ball of the game, could have easily taken a single and registered a win, instead of trying to hit a big shot.

With three-run outs and two wrong decisions against them, India were all-out for 252, with one ball still remaining.&nbsp;

MS Dhoni, who was leading the team and came two down to bat, had to leave the ground due to a wrong lbw decision. He made just 8 runs.&nbsp;It was Dhoni's 200th game as captain which ended in a tie.&nbsp;

Kedhar Jadhav and Dinesh Karthik were also dismissed in quick succession. Karthik was lbw by Nabi while Jadhav was run-out by Mujeeb.&nbsp;

Openers KL Rahul and Ambati Rayadu gave India the required start while chasing a decent target of 253 runs set by Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The two laid a strong foundation of the Indian inning and stitched a 110-run partnership, with Rayadu contributing 57 runs, before losing his wicket to Mohammad Nabi.&nbsp;

Rayadu's 49-ball inning included four boundaries and one six. &nbsp;

KL Rahul, on the other hand, also reached his half-century in 55 balls. But lost his wicket to a beautiful delivery of Rashid Khan.&nbsp;

In his 60 runs inning, Rahul slammed five boundaries and one six. &nbsp;

Earlier, Mohammad Shahzad's brilliant century and Mohammad Nabi's perfect cameo powered Afghanistan to a total of 252 for the loss of eight wickets against India on Tuesday.

Electing to bat, Afghan's Shahzad was the sole player on whom the team was dependent before Nabi took the driver's seat.&nbsp;

The opener was in action from the very first ball and played magnificently against the Indian bowling attack to slam 124 runs.

Dropped at 49 by &nbsp;Ambati Rayudu, Shahzad slammed 11 boundaries and 7 huge sixes in his 116-ball inning, which was finally ended by Kedhar Jadhav. &nbsp;

Afghans could have put a high target if Shahzad would have found an ally in the downline. Apart from him no other player, till Nabi arrived, could stand the Indian attack and were dismissed in quick successions.

Nabi's 56-ball 64 runs cameo was supported with three boundaries and four sixes. &nbsp;He played at a strike rate of 114.29, much better than what Shahzad's had today. &nbsp;

Khaleel Ahmed was the man who took Nabi's wicket to restrict Afghanistan's score.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took two and three wickets respectively to keep Afghanistan's score in control. &nbsp;&nbsp;

India, who is already in the finals, will either face Pakistan or Bangladesh, the two teams who will fight for the final spot tomorrow.&nbsp;

Afghanistan displayed a spectacular form of cricket to end the second last game of the Super four stage of 2018 Asia Cup in a draw against India. The credit of the tie goes to a complete team effort by Afghanistan, be it in batting, bowling and fielding.

Afghanistan displayed a spectacular form of cricket to end the second last game of the Super four stage of 2018 Asia Cup in a draw against India. The credit of the tie goes to a complete team effort by Afghanistan, be it in batting, bowling and fielding. Rashid, who bowled the last over, made it difficult for the Indian side to win. Ravindra Jadeja, who faced the second-last ball of the game, could have easily taken a single and registered a win, instead of trying to hit a big shot. With three-run outs and two wrong decisions against them, India were all-out for 252, with one ball still remaining. MS Dhoni, who was leading the team and came two down to bat, had to leave the ground due to a wrong lbw decision. He made just 8 runs. It was Dhoni's 200th game as captain which ended in a tie. Kedhar Jadhav and Dinesh Karthik were also dismissed in quick succession. Karthik was lbw by Nabi while Jadhav was run-out by Mujeeb. Openers KL Rahul and Ambati Rayadu gave India the required start while chasing a decent target of 253 runs set by Afghanistan. The two laid a strong foundation of the Indian inning and stitched a 110-run partnership, with Rayadu contributing 57 runs, before losing his wicket to Mohammad Nabi. Rayadu's 49-ball inning included four boundaries and one six. KL Rahul, on the other hand, also reached his half-century in 55 balls. But lost his wicket to a beautiful delivery of Rashid Khan. In his 60 runs inning, Rahul slammed five boundaries and one six. Earlier, Mohammad Shahzad's brilliant century and Mohammad Nabi's perfect cameo powered Afghanistan to a total of 252 for the loss of eight wickets against India on Tuesday. Electing to bat, Afghan's Shahzad was the sole player on whom the team was dependent before Nabi took the driver's seat. The opener was in action from the very first ball and played magnificently against the Indian bowling attack to slam 124 runs. Dropped at 49 by Ambati Rayudu, Shahzad slammed 11 boundaries and 7 huge sixes in his 116-ball inning, which was finally ended by Kedhar Jadhav. Afghans could have put a high target if Shahzad would have found an ally in the downline. Apart from him no other player, till Nabi arrived, could stand the Indian attack and were dismissed in quick successions. Nabi's 56-ball 64 runs cameo was supported with three boundaries and four sixes. He played at a strike rate of 114.29, much better than what Shahzad's had today. Khaleel Ahmed was the man who took Nabi's wicket to restrict Afghanistan's score. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took two and three wickets respectively to keep Afghanistan's score in control. India, who is already in the finals, will either face Pakistan or Bangladesh, the two teams who will fight for the final spot tomorrow.

Asia Cup: Afghanistan pull off last-ball tie against India

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's comeback as captain, just for a game, ended in a thrilling tie against Afghanistan in their Asia Cup 2018 Super Four match at on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Apart from the excellent cricketing skills, the match also saw some umpiring blunders.&nbsp;

Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik were given leg before by the on-field umpires -- Gregory Brathwaite of West Indies and Anisur Rahaman of Bangladesh -- even though TV replays clearly indicated that the ball was missing the stumps in both the cases.

Taking a dig at umpiring errors, Dhoni said, "There were a couple of run-outs, and a few things we can't talk about because I don't want to get fined for it."

Any public criticism of umpiring decisions invites sanctions from the ICC and Dhoni chose his words very carefully.

Dhoni was dismissed by part-time off-spinner Javed Ahmadi and the delivery seemed to have gone over stumps while Karthik's dismissal of Mohammed Nabi was bigger blunder as the ball missed the leg stump by a couple of feet.&nbsp;

India were set a target of 253 and the match ended in a tie after the team was bowled out for 252.

When asked about India's below-par performance, the wicketkeeper said, the team was not playing their full-strength side that also needs to be factored in.

"I wouldn't say we went wrong in the chase. To start off, it was like a handicap in golf. We didn't go with a full-strength side. Not enough spinners on this wicket. The first over that a fast bowler bowls, they need to extract swing. We didn't hit the back of a length area, and we gave away too much initially with the ball."

Dhoni was asked to lead the team, after Rohit Sharma and other players were given a game's rest. &nbsp;It was his 200th ODI game as captain of Indian Cricket team.&nbsp;

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's comeback as captain, just for a game, ended in a thrilling tie against Afghanistan in their Asia Cup 2018 Super Four match at on Tuesday. Apart from the excellent cricketing skills, the match also saw some umpiring blunders.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's comeback as captain, just for a game, ended in a thrilling tie against Afghanistan in their Asia Cup 2018 Super Four match at on Tuesday. Apart from the excellent cricketing skills, the match also saw some umpiring blunders. Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik were given leg before by the on-field umpires -- Gregory Brathwaite of West Indies and Anisur Rahaman of Bangladesh -- even though TV replays clearly indicated that the ball was missing the stumps in both the cases. Taking a dig at umpiring errors, Dhoni said, "There were a couple of run-outs, and a few things we can't talk about because I don't want to get fined for it." Any public criticism of umpiring decisions invites sanctions from the ICC and Dhoni chose his words very carefully. Dhoni was dismissed by part-time off-spinner Javed Ahmadi and the delivery seemed to have gone over stumps while Karthik's dismissal of Mohammed Nabi was bigger blunder as the ball missed the leg stump by a couple of feet. India were set a target of 253 and the match ended in a tie after the team was bowled out for 252. When asked about India's below-par performance, the wicketkeeper said, the team was not playing their full-strength side that also needs to be factored in. "I wouldn't say we went wrong in the chase. To start off, it was like a handicap in golf. We didn't go with a full-strength side. Not enough spinners on this wicket. The first over that a fast bowler bowls, they need to extract swing. We didn't hit the back of a length area, and we gave away too much initially with the ball." Dhoni was asked to lead the team, after Rohit Sharma and other players were given a game's rest. It was his 200th ODI game as captain of Indian Cricket team.

'Don't want to be fined': Dhoni on umpiring errors during India-Afghanistan game 

Mohammad Shahzad's brilliant century and Mohammad Nabi's perfect cameo powered Afghanistan to a total of 252 for the loss of eight wickets against India on Tuesday.

Electing to bat, Afghan's Shahzad was the sole player on whom the team was dependent&nbsp;before nabi took the driver's seat.&nbsp;

The opener was in action from the very first ball and played magnificently against the Indian bowling attack to slam 124 runs.

Dropped at 49 by Ambati Rayudu, Shahzad slammed 11 boundaries and 7 huge sixes in his 116-ball inning, which was finally ended by Kedhar Jadhav. &nbsp;

Afghans could have put a high target if Shahzad would have found an ally in the downline. Apart from him no other player, till Nabi arrived, could stand the Indian attack and were dismissed in quick successions.

Nabi's 56-ball 64 runs cameo was supported with three boundaries and four sixes. He played at a strike rate of 114.29, much better than what Shahzad's had today. &nbsp;

Khaleel Ahmed was the man who took Nabi's wicket to restrict Afghanistan's score.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took two and three wickets, respectively, to keep Afghanistan in control. &nbsp; &nbsp;

India, who is being captained by MS Dhoni, will have to display a better class of batting to win the game.&nbsp;

Even if India lose, they will still be playing the Asi Cup final, after they registered a comfortable victory against Bangladesh and Pakistan earlier to book a spot. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Mohammad Shahzad's brilliant century and Mohammad Nabi's perfect cameo powered Afghanistan to a total of 252 for the loss of eight wickets against India on Tuesday.

Mohammad Shahzad's brilliant century and Mohammad Nabi's perfect cameo powered Afghanistan to a total of 252 for the loss of eight wickets against India on Tuesday. Electing to bat, Afghan's Shahzad was the sole player on whom the team was dependent before nabi took the driver's seat. The opener was in action from the very first ball and played magnificently against the Indian bowling attack to slam 124 runs. Dropped at 49 by Ambati Rayudu, Shahzad slammed 11 boundaries and 7 huge sixes in his 116-ball inning, which was finally ended by Kedhar Jadhav. Afghans could have put a high target if Shahzad would have found an ally in the downline. Apart from him no other player, till Nabi arrived, could stand the Indian attack and were dismissed in quick successions. Nabi's 56-ball 64 runs cameo was supported with three boundaries and four sixes. He played at a strike rate of 114.29, much better than what Shahzad's had today. Khaleel Ahmed was the man who took Nabi's wicket to restrict Afghanistan's score. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja took two and three wickets, respectively, to keep Afghanistan in control. India, who is being captained by MS Dhoni, will have to display a better class of batting to win the game. Even if India lose, they will still be playing the Asi Cup final, after they registered a comfortable victory against Bangladesh and Pakistan earlier to book a spot.

Asia Cup: Shahzad's superlative century powers Afghanistan to 252

Asia Cup: Kuldeep, Jadeja keep Afghanistan in control, are 103/4 after 20 overs

Asia Cup: Kuldeep, Jadeja keep Afghanistan in control, are 103/4 after 20 overs

Asia Cup: Pakistan win toss, opt to bat against India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated the people of Afghanistan as their national cricket team faces India in their historic first ever Test match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Afghanistan started its maiden five-day test match in Bengaluru on Thursday, with the match attended by top government officials from both sides.

The Prime Minister took to Twitter to wish luck to both the sides.

"I congratulate the people of Afghanistan as their cricket team plays their first international Test match. Glad that they have chosen to play the historic match with India. Best wishes to both teams! May sports continue to bring our people closer and strengthen ties," PM Narendra Modi wrote.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I congratulate the people of Afghanistan as their cricket team plays their first international test match. Glad that they have chosen to play the historic match with India. Best wishes to both teams! May sports continue to bring our people closer and strengthen ties.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1007093564034207744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

India's sports minister, Rajyavardhan Rathore, shook hands with Afghan players before the match and read out a congratulatory statement from Modi.

Awarded full member status by the International Cricket Council (ICC) alongside Ireland in June last year, Afghanistan became the 12th test-playing nation after first being recognised by the ICC in 2001. India is the world's top-ranked test side.

Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai was presented with a memento from former India all-rounder Salim Durrani, who was born in Kabul before the match began.

India has already offered war-ravaged Afghanistan two stadiums in the country to host matches with other nations.

New Delhi enjoys close relations with Afghanistan and both accuse common neighbour Pakistan of not doing enough to stop Islamist militants operating on its territory.

"The historic friendship and relations between India and Afghanistan go back to centuries. I'm glad that cricket is now added as another layer," Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Atif Mashal said in January when the date and venue of the match were announced.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai was presented with a memento from former India all-rounder Salim Durrani, who was born in Kabul before the match began.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated the people of Afghanistan as their national cricket team faces India in their historic first ever Test match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Afghanistan started its maiden five-day test match in Bengaluru on Thursday, with the match attended by top government officials from both sides. The Prime Minister took to Twitter to wish luck to both the sides. "I congratulate the people of Afghanistan as their cricket team plays their first international Test match. Glad that they have chosen to play the historic match with India. Best wishes to both teams! May sports continue to bring our people closer and strengthen ties," PM Narendra Modi wrote. I congratulate the people of Afghanistan as their cricket team plays their first international test match. Glad that they have chosen to play the historic match with India. Best wishes to both teams! May sports continue to bring our people closer and strengthen ties. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 14, 2018 × India's sports minister, Rajyavardhan Rathore, shook hands with Afghan players before the match and read out a congratulatory statement from Modi. Awarded full member status by the International Cricket Council (ICC) alongside Ireland in June last year, Afghanistan became the 12th test-playing nation after first being recognised by the ICC in 2001. India is the world's top-ranked test side. Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai was presented with a memento from former India all-rounder Salim Durrani, who was born in Kabul before the match began. India has already offered war-ravaged Afghanistan two stadiums in the country to host matches with other nations. New Delhi enjoys close relations with Afghanistan and both accuse common neighbour Pakistan of not doing enough to stop Islamist militants operating on its territory. "The historic friendship and relations between India and Afghanistan go back to centuries. I'm glad that cricket is now added as another layer," Afghanistan Cricket Board chairman Atif Mashal said in January when the date and venue of the match were announced. (With inputs from Agencies)

PM Modi hopes historic cricket match will boost ties with Afghanistan

india-vs-afghanistan

India Vs Afghanistan, News on India Vs Afghanistan, stories on India Vs Afghanistan, articles on India Vs Afghanistan, India Vs Afghanistan stories at Wion, India Vs Afghanistan news, India Vs Afghanistan latest news

india vs-afghanistan

T20 WC: R Ashwin returns to Team India's XI vs Afghanistan, know after how many days

'Played long enough with him...' - Gambhir feels Dhoni had no role behind India's knee-jerk changes vs NZ

IND vs AFG, T20 World Cup 2021 prediction: Who will win today's match between India and Afghanistan?

T20 World Cup, IND vs AFG live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Afghanistan match?

T20 WC: R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar for Varun Chakravarthy? Predicting India's XI for Afghanistan clash

T20 WC: Rashid Khan urges fans to 'respect rules' and come to stadium with tickets for India face-off

T20 World Cup: As Virat Kohli is optimistic, here's how India can still reach the semi-finals

Twitterati criticise BCCI for wrong choice of word to describe India's narrow win over Afghanistan

The hard-fought win over Afghanistan was important for us: Virat Kohli

World Cup: India vs Afghanistan - Preview

World Cup: MS Dhoni stumped in ODIs for the first time in 8 years

'Cricket improves you as a human being,' says Indian skipper Virat Kohli

2nd T20: Australia eye series victory, India look to minimise mistakes

Asia Cup: Rahim, Mithun repair top-order malfunction, Afghanistan 88/3 after 21 overs

Watch: MS Dhoni loses his cool on Kuldeep Yadav during India-Afghanistan game

India vs Afghanistan: 'Shouldn’t have taken the review', says KL Rahul

Asia Cup: Afghanistan pull off last-ball tie against India

'Don't want to be fined': Dhoni on umpiring errors during India-Afghanistan game

Asia Cup: Shahzad's superlative century powers Afghanistan to 252

Asia Cup: Pakistan win toss, opt to bat against India

PM Modi hopes historic cricket match will boost ties with Afghanistan