Delhi Pitch Talk: So, history tells us that Arun Jaitley Stadium has hosted 27 matches with an even split between teams choosing to bat or bowl first (except for that one game Mother Nature didn’t want happening). Recently, teams that take the bat first seem to have an edge, with an average first innings score chilling around 260. Now, while historically the pitch here’s been a bit sluggish, the recent game between South Africa and Sri Lanka turned that notion on its head. With batting looking more favorable, the toss-winning captain might just opt to set the scoreboard ticking.

Historical Tug-of-War:

• Matches between the two: 03
• India’s Victory Count: 02
• Afghanistan’s Triumphs: Zilch
• Stalemates: 01

Who’s Taking the Field?

• India’s Warriors: Rohit Sharma (Captain Cool), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (with the gloves), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.
• Afghanistan’s Squad: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (keeper), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi leading the pack, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Players to Keep an Eye On:

• India’s Top Batsman: All eyes on Rohit Sharma! After a minor hiccup against Australia, this seasoned player will be eager to get back in form and dominate.
• India’s Bowling Star: Ravindra Jadeja, hands down. With a fantastic start in the tourney already, he’ll be on the prowl for more wickets.

Popping the Big Question – Who’s Winning? My two cents? I’m betting on India to clinch the win!

Stay tuned and enjoy the cricketing feast, folks!