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India had to grind out a victory against Australia in their opening fixture of the 2023 World Cup in Chennai on Sunday, October 8. From a horrific situation at 2/3, Virat Kohli (85) and KL Rahul (97*) made an incredible partnership of 165 runs that helped them win the game by six wickets and 52 balls to spare.
They will now take on Afghanistan, who gave quite a disappointing batting performance against Bangladesh in Dharamsala in their first game. While one may argue that the hosts will start as favorites, Afghanistan almost beat them in the last World Cup when the two teams met. They certainly can back the punch and have the potential within them to pull off a big upset.
To prevent this, India will need to win some crucial match-ups in the encounter between the two nations in Delhi on Wednesday, October 11. On that note, let's take a look at three such match-ups:
#3 Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs Mohammed Siraj
If the game between South Africa and Sri Lanka is anything to go by, the pitch in Delhi could be a batting paradise. Coupled with the small boundary size, Afghanistan would want their star batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz to get them off to a flying start at the top of the order.
But it may not be that straightforward as India has the No.1 ranked ODI bowler in Mohammed Siraj. The duo haven't faced each other much in competitive cricket, but Siraj will relish the opportunity to knock off the Afghanistan opener. With neither Gurbaz nor Siraj generally the ones who back out, one could expect an intriguing face-off between the duo.
#2 Shreyas Iyer vs Rashid Khan
If India get a traditional low and slow Delhi pitch, Shreyas Iyer becomes absolutely vital for them. Afghanistan arguably have the best spin-bowling attack in the tournament and their X-factor Rashid Khan will be more than handy if there's enough grip in the surface.
Iyer has had a reputation of being someone who doesn't let spinners settle and that makes his encounter with Rashid fascinating to look forward to. He has scored 83 runs off 77 balls from the star leg-spinner in T20 cricket but also has been dismissed twice.
#1 Virat Kohli vs Naveen-ul-Haq
It comes as no surprise that the one encounter everyone has been looking forward to in this game has been that of star Indian batter Virat Kohli against Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq. Kohli has faced just two balls off Naveen in T20 cricket, scoring five runs from it. However, the rivalry between the duo has had its history.
There were some heated words exchanged between Kohli and Naveen when the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) played the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lcuknow in the IPL earlier this year. The LSG pacer later garnered scrutiny from Indian fans due to his reaction through cryptic Instagram stories as well following the incident.
Moreover, the fact that the game will be played in Delhi where Kohli is the local boy, one can be certain about who the crowd will be favoring. It promises to be an incredible match-up if the two face each other during the match.
