World Cup 2019: Will Afghanistan take the challenge to beat India?

Despite the injury scares, India has started off the tournament with a bang. They have proved everyone that they are in the game not just to participate but to take the World Cup back home.

Ageas Bowl, Southampton will witness the battle of points and knock-out on Saturday (June 22) at 3 PM IST.

Afghanistan will challenge India from getting their fourth consecutive win and try not to focus more on their problems. The change in captaincy for the Afghan team hasn’t worked and their on-field player mismanagement has only led to their degraded performance.

They come to battle India just a couple of days after England skipper Eoin Morgan recorded the 17 sixes world record against them that costed spinner Rashid Khan his most expensive spell of 110 runs in 9 overs.

If the Afghan boys do not try to get their varied squad together, then it can turn out to be another one where the better team remains unbeaten and Afghanistan will be the first team to get knocked out of the World Cup. This match also comes in at the time when Indian bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar is on the bench, however, Mohammad Shami is ready to come back in full swing and ease the game.

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India: With Vijay Shankar proving to be the best decision the Indian selectors had ever taken, India is unlikely to make any changes in the playing XI other than Shami replacing Bhuvi.

Probable XI: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (c), Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah.

Afghanistan: Even, the Afghans would avoid changes in the batting department looking at Gulbadin Naib’s performance in the previous match. However, their bowling department still remains unexpected.

Probable XI: Noor Ali Zadran, Gulbadin Naib (c), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Ikram Ali Khil, Dawlat Zadran/Hamid Hassan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman.