IND vs AFG: Watch - Azmatullah Omarzai Drags Back Mukesh Kumar's Delivery Onto Stumps

While the Afghani openers put up 50 runs for the first wicket, Indian pacer Mukesh Kumar cleaned up Azmatullah Omarzai for 29 runs off 22 balls. Omarzai looked dangerous and was smacking the ball at a strike rate of 131.82.

Afghanistan put up a score of 158/5 while batting first against India in the first IND vs AFG T20I match being played at the PCA Stadium in Mohali. Afghani all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was the highest run scorer of the innings and played an innings of 42 balls off 27 balls. Nabi hit 2 fours and three sixes throughout his innings.

IND vs AFG: Watch – Mukesh Kumar cleans up dangerous Azmatullah Omarzai

I. C. Y. M. I!

Double success with the ball for Mukesh Kumar 😎

Recap his two strikes in an over ⚡️⚡️#TeamIndia | #INDvAFG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/oLQCi25mma

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 11, 2024

Azmatullah Omarzai got out on the first ball of the 18th over when he was trying to carve a full-pitched ball towards the off-side and played it on the stumps. Omarzai had added 68 runs off 43 balls along with Mohammad Nabi for the fourth wicket.

Apart from Azmatullah Omarzai and Mohammad Nabi, openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran scored 23 and 25 runs respectively. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel was the most effective spinner from India’s side and picked up two wickets by giving away 23 runs in four overs. Mukesh Kumar also picked up two wickets and gave away 33 runs throughout his spell of four overs.

Najubullah Zadran and Karim Janat gave the much-needed finish to the Afghani innings and played innings of 19 and 5 runs respectively. Zadran at one end hit four fours in his cameo knock whereas Janat also hit a couple of boundaries.

India will now aim to chase down 159 runs and give themselves a perfect start to their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. India have not won a T20 World Cup since the year 2007 and will hope to bring the trophy back home.

India witnessed the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Sharma and Kohli had been away from the T20I format for the last 14 months and have not played a single match in the shortest international format since the disappointing loss to England in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli focused more on the ODI and the Test format due to the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup. However, now that the T20 World Cup is coming up they have made themselves available for the major ICC tournament.

India faced a loss in the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia, and they were also not able to end their ICC title drought. India won their last ICC trophy in the year 2013 under the leadership of MS Dhoni.

India are yet to win an ICC title after 2013 and have lost nine ICC knockout matches in the last 11 years. India will aim to break the knockout wall in the T20 World Cup 2024.

Also, India have the likes of young players such as Tilak Varma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Arshdeep Singh, and many more who are full of promise and can help India win the T20 World Cup. India have the number one ranked T20I batsman in the name of Suryakumar Yadav, which is a bonus for the team ahead of the tournament.