The inaugural bilateral series, featuring more than one match, between India and Afghanistan is slated to kick off on January 12. The opening T20I of the three-match series is scheduled at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
However, a day before the clash, Afghanistan faces a significant setback as star leg-spinner Rashid Khan has been ruled out due to a back injury, which required surgery after the ODI World Cup.
Rashid Khan’s absence leaves a void in the spin department, with Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmed, and Noor Ahmad tasked to fill the gap during this series. Afghanistan’s captain, Ibrahim Zadran, confirmed Rashid’s exclusion from the originally selected 19-man squad.
While the T20I series unfolds with the initial match in Mohali, subsequent encounters will shift to the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore for the second T20I on January 14.
The series will culminate on January 17 with the third and final game set to unfold at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Afghanistan remains keen on Rashid Khan’s recovery for the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled from June 1 to June 29 in the West Indies and the USA.
