Afghanistan look to push India hard on their way out

OverviewIndia v Afghanistan
Asia Cup 2018, Super Four, Match 5
Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Tuesday, 25 September, 15:30 Local, 11.30 GMT

India have already made the final, having beaten Pakistan and Bangladesh in their two Super Four matches, and might want to test their bench against Afghanistan. But for their opponents, this game, much like the rest of the tournament, will be about pushing their limits and getting one step closer to knowing how to finish matches in big tournaments.

They have come close – they lost to Bangladesh by three runs, and by three wickets with just three balls to spare to Pakistan. Both games were last-over thrillers.

Afghanistan have had all the ingredients of a good limited-overs team. A big-hitting opener in Mohammad Shahzad, middle-order lynchpins in Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi and captain Asghar Afghan, a seasoned all-rounder in Mohammad Nabi, and a world-class spin attack fronted by Rashid Khan.

Together, they have done exceedingly well but have failed to win crucial moments, which has led to the team's exit from the tournament.

Experience will help: 29 runs were needed in the last three overs by Pakistan and Aftab Alam, who gave away just four off the first four balls of the 48th over by bowling reasonably full and even nailing a yorker, dropped one short and that was duly hit for a six.

Alam repeated the mistake in the final over, with Pakistan needing 10 to win, and bowled a short, slower delivery that was launched for another six by Shoaib Malik. And just like that, a third of Afghanistan's chances of making the final were gone.

Even against Bangladesh, Mustafizur Rahman was successful in defending eight runs off the last over even though Afghanistan had a set batsman, Samiullah Shenwari, at the crease.

Shahzad (20 and 53), Shahidi (97 and 71) and Afghan (67 and 39) have all had good hits in their last two outings while Rashid Khan (1/46 and 3/46) and Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/33 and 1/35) have put the opposition under pressure.

Now, they will hope it all comes together.

India, meanwhile, are the only unbeaten team in the tournament. Barring a stutter in the first match against Hong Kong, the defending champions have strolled to victories over Pakistan (twice) and Bangladesh.

Both their openers, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, hit centuries in their last outing and the middle-order batsmen – Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni – have had decent hits as well.

The spin bowling arsenal has been boosted by the return of Ravindra Jadeja to assist Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah have performed their roles to good effect.

With their place in the final sealed, India may look to give the likes of KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Deepak Chahar, Siddarth Kaul and Khaleel Ahmed opportunities to get some valuable match practice, as this has been a tournament where India have mostly fielded unchanged line-ups.

With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 around the corner, India will look to assess their options should the mainstays be injured or out of form and this match gives them the chance to do so.

Key players

Rohit Sharma (India): The India captain has been in golden touch in the Asia Cup, having scored 269 runs at 134.50 from four matches, with one century and two half-centuries. Together with Dhawan, Sharma forms the backbone of this top-heavy Indian line-up.

Hashmatuallah Shahidi (Afghanistan): The left-handed batsman has been in good touch recently and has hit back-to-back half centuries, against Bangladesh and Pakistan. With the ability to rotate strike as well as hit the big shots, he could be the man around whom the rest of the batting line-up revolves.

Conditions

The Dubai heat is on, like it has been for most of the tournament and it will be a test of physical strength for both sides. The pitches in the UAE have become slower and slower as the tournament has progressed and the ball has gripped and turned. Much of it is expected in this game as well with little help in terms of movement in the air or off the pitch for the fast bowlers.

Squads

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Siddarth Kaul

Afghanistan: Asghar Afghan (c), Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Ihsanullah Janat, Javed Ahmadi, Rahmat Shah, Hashmat Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Najibullah Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Aftab Alam, Samiullah Shinwari, Munir Ahmad Kakar (wk), Sayed Ahmad Sherzad, Sharafudin Ashraf, Yamin Ahmadzai