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India
Afghanistan
India and Afghanistan will meet in the second ODI of the series at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. India will enter the match with confidence after winning the only Test by an innings margin and following it up with a comfortable chase in the first ODI. Afghanistan will aim to level the series by improving with both bat and ball.
Shubman Gill will lead India, while Hashmatullah Shahidi will captain Afghanistan. Both teams have recorded 3 wins each in their last 5 ODI matches, showing similar recent form. However, India will hold the advantage in the head-to-head record, having won 4 of the last 5 ODIs against Afghanistan, with 1 match ending in a tie.
Chasing has been successful in this fixture, with 3 of the last 5 meetings being won by the team batting second. These numbers will make the toss an important factor for this contest.
Arshdeep Singh has taken 13 wickets in his last 7 ODIs, and his ability to strike with the new ball and in the death overs gives him a strong chance of picking up multiple wickets again.
The betting tip is...
Arshdeep Singh - Over 1.5 wickets
76 %
24 %
IndiaAfghanistanIndia's bowling unit delivered a disciplined performance in the first ODI and bowled Afghanistan out for 194. Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey led the attack with 3 wickets each, while Nitish Kumar Reddy and Arshdeep Singh picked up 2 wickets apiece. Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar went wicketless but maintained control and supported the wicket-takers well throughout the innings.
During the chase, India's openers provided a solid start before Rohit Sharma was run out. Shubman Gill anchored the innings with an impressive 84 off 66 balls. Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul contributed scores in the 30s to complete the chase comfortably.
India's batting lineup looked stronger than Afghanistan's and backed that reputation with a clinical performance. Rahul also carried excellent form into the match, having averaged 89 across his last 10 ODI innings.
Gill, Rahul and Arshdeep are the key players in the team.
Predicted Lineup: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (wk), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna
Afghanistan's batting struggled in the first ODI despite a brilliant innings from Rahmanullah Gurbaz. He scored 102 off just 51 balls against a strong Indian bowling attack while wickets kept falling at the other end.
The next highest scores in the innings were only 27 and 26, highlighting the lack of support for Gurbaz. The batting unit failed to build partnerships and was eventually bowled out for 194.
With the ball, Rashid Khan and Ziaur Rahman picked up one wicket each, while AM Ghazanfar delivered an economical spell and kept the scoring under control. However, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi and Mohammad Saleem could not make a major impact against India's batting lineup and will need improved performances in the second ODI.
Gurbaz, Zadran and Rashid are the key players in the team.
Predicted Lineup: Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mohammad Saleem, AM Ghazanfar and Ziaur Rahman
Afghanistan will put up a stronger fight than they did in the first match and should produce a better bowling display in the second ODI. At least one of their batters and one bowler are expected to make a strong impact and keep the contest competitive. However, India's overall balance with both bat and ball should help them stay ahead for most of the game and secure another series win.
Arshdeep Singh will be a key player with the ball after taking 13 wickets in his last 7 ODIs for India. Even on a surface expected to assist spinners, his ability to strike with the new ball and at the death could make him one of the standout bowlers of the match.
