'We will be making a few changes' - Ryan ten Doeschate confirms changes to XI ahead of India vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI
The Men in Blue have already secured the three-match series by winning the first two matches in Dharamshala and Lucknow.

📢'We will be making a few changes' - Ryan ten Doeschate confirms changes to XI ahead of India vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI

Ryan ten Doeschate. (Photo Source: ACC/YouTube)

Former Netherlands international and India's Assistant Coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, has spoken about the composition of the side ahead of the third One Day International (ODI) against Afghanistan at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, June 20. The Men in Blue have already secured the three-match series by winning the first two matches in Dharamshala and Lucknow.

Ten Doeschate stated that the main purpose of this series was to try new combinations and thus make necessary changes to the playing XI to give other players a run in. These include resting regular players like Arshdeep Singh and replacing him with someone like Harshit Rana, who was added to the squad at the eleventh hour.

"We will be making a few changes from the first two games. Part of the brief coming into the series was that we wanted to try a few different combinations and give everyone a fair share of games. So someone like Arshdeep [Singh], who has bowled really well in the first two games, he can probably take a rest tomorrow, and one of the batters will also miss out tomorrow and we will go back to playing one of the new spinners," Ryan ten Doeschate said in the pre-match press conference.

Ten Doeschate also stated that the team will most likely have two all-rounders, in Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar. However, the top three that played in the second ODI in Lucknow should remain the same, which means Yashasvi Jaiswal will get a second opportunity up the order along with Rohit Sharma.

The versatility of this batting lineup is fantastic, but no, I don't think KL [Rahul] will bat at number three tomorrow. We want to have a good look at Yashasvi [Jaiswal] as well. Obviously, he didn't runs in the last game, so he will probably get another go. Maybe with the combination, we need to look at Nitish [Kumar Reddy] again. Unfortunately, he couldn't play the last game but he needs to start in as well so I would imagine five batters, plus Nitish and Washi [Washington Sundar], that means obviously no space for one of the batters and certainly no changes in the top three from the last game," he added.

India's squad for 3rd ODI vs Afghanistan:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Washington Sundar, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Prince Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Harsh Dubey

The Hundred 2026: Trent Rockets name Sam Billings & Ash Gardner as captains for 2026
Billings is one of the most successful captains in the tournament's history, having led the Oval Invincibles to three consecutive titles from 2023 to 2025.

📢The Hundred 2026: Trent Rockets name Sam Billings & Ash Gardner as captains for 2026

Sam Billings during The Hundred (Source: Matt Lewis - ECB/ECB via Getty Images)

The Trent Rockets have named former Oval Invincibles (now MI London) leader Sam Billings and Ash Gardner as their men's and women's captains, respectively, for The Hundred 2026.

Billings is one of the most successful captains in the tournament's history, having led the Oval-based franchise to three consecutive titles from 2023 to 2025. He was signed in the inaugural auction by the Rockets for GBP 180,000, making him the fourth-most expensive buy under the hammer. He will now be tasked to lead a side packed with international stars, including Ben Duckett, Tim David, Tom Banton and Fin Allen, to name a few.

Despite his prowess in the leadership role, Billings has struggled to contribute with the bat, having scored just 135 runs in the last two seasons of The Hundred, with 31 not out being his highest score.

I’m so looking forward to being with Trent Rockets this year at Trent Bridge. It’s iconic, one of the best grounds in the world, and it’s always been a great place to play. It’s a real honour to be leading out the team this year, and I’m hoping to do all the Rockets fans proud. Here’s to a great summer!" Sam Billings said on the Nottinghamshire website.

Ash Gardner to continue as Trent Rockets Women's captain

The Trent Rockets franchise are keeping things safe with the women's side, with Ash Gardner continuing to lead the side for the 2026 season. The Australian international guided the side to a fourth-placed finish last time around, while contributing towards 187 runs and eight wickets.

2026 will be Gardner's third season in Nottingham, making her an adequate leader for the side. The 29-year-old will captain a side consisting of England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, along with fellow Australian Beth Mooney and Kim Garth.

"I love being able to lead this team, and we’ve got some fantastic players this year, which is super exciting. I can’t wait to get going, and I’m really excited to see all the fans out at Trent Bridge again this year," Ash Gardner said on the Notts website.

Women's T20 World Cup 2026: NZ W vs IRE W Today's Match Highlights: Unmissable video recap, POTM, match analysis, stats and more
New Zealand clinched a thriller by four runs in the last over.

📢Women's T20 World Cup 2026: NZ W vs IRE W Today's Match Highlights: Unmissable video recap, POTM, match analysis, stats and more

Women's T20 World Cup 2026: NZ W vs IRE W Today's Match Highlights: Unmissable video recap, POTM, match analysis, stats and more (Source - Christopher Lee/Getty Image)

How did Match 13 of the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 go between New Zealand Women and Ireland Women?

In a solid thriller contest of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Rose Bowl, Southampton , defending champions New Zealand (NZ W) secured an emphatic four-run win against Ireland (IRE W) on Friday, June 19 .

The contest began with the Irish team coming out to bowl first, having won the toss. The decision seemed to be a perfect one as they reduced the White Ferns to 10 for the loss of three wickets in the fourth over itself. However, a rescue act from skipper Melie Kerr (30 off 24), Brooke Halliday (34 off 37), Izzy Sharp (36 off 28) and the experienced Suzie Bates (19* off 12) eventually took the total to 140-6 after 20 overs.

While Ireland did not have anything huge to achieve, the fall of the first wicket in the second over actually saw the captain-vice-captain duo of Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast take charge of the run chase, ensuring no further hiccups until the 18th over. However, the moment both departed, things came back swiftly in New Zealand's control, as Bates held her nerves to help her side defend 15 in the last over.

Best Batting Performance of the Match: Orla Prendergast

When it comes to taking note of the best batting performance of the evening, it would surely go to Orla Prendergast despite her team ending on the losing side in a last-over thriller. On a sluggish track at Southampton, the Irish all-rounder stood her ground for 53 balls, amassing 59 runs. This also included five fours and a solitary six. While she did her job well, the middle order could not reciprocate on the platform provided through her stable knock in the middle.

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Best Bowling Performance of the Match: Melie Kerr

Melie Kerr continued to prove why she is among the best all-rounders in world cricket right now. With the ball, she was once again the star of the match for New Zealand. First she accounted for the fall of Prendergast, from where the game took a crucial turn. A couple of balls later, Kerr provided the second breakthrough from her end, as Rebecca Stokell departed for a silver duck. Kerr's figures read 4-0-23-2.

The skipper stepped up when it mattered most 😤

With Ireland needing 29 off 18, #AmeliaKerr struck twice in the over to swing the momentum firmly back in New Zealand's favour 🤩🙌

ICC Women’s #T20WorldCup 2026 | #NZvIRE pic.twitter.com/WEcGfsv9Dj

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 20, 2026

Who won the Player of the Match award?

Taking into account the all-round contributions, the organisers had no hesitation in handing the Player of the Match award to NZ skipper Melie Kerr. Her 30 off 24 on a difficult batting surface followed by a game-changing two-wicket haul in the second innings eventually decided the fate of the match, which went in her team's favour.

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When is the next match?

The next match in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign is between Australia and Netherlands on Saturday, June 20. New Zealand will face Scotland next, while Ireland will ready themselves for the Sri Lankan challenge on June 23.

‘He called me Fixer & Deshdrohi’ - Sreesanth drops bombshell on Gautam Gambhir
The incident had grabbed headlines when Sreesanth first alleged that Gambhir had used the term “fixer” against him during the LLC clash.

📢‘He called me Fixer & Deshdrohi’ - Sreesanth drops bombshell on Gautam Gambhir

‘He called me Fixer & Deshdrohi’ - S Sreesanth drops bombshell on Gautam Gambhir after Harbhajan Singh boxing fight claim. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

Former India pacer S Sreesanth has once again opened up about his heated exchange with current India head coach Gautam Gambhir during a Legends League Cricket (LLC) match in December 2023. The former fast bowler has now made fresh allegations, claiming that Gambhir not only called him a “fixer” but also labelled him a “Deshdrohi” during the on-field confrontation.

The incident had grabbed headlines when Sreesanth first alleged that Gambhir had used the term “fixer” against him during the LLC clash. Speaking recently in an interview, the Kerala-born cricketer provided more details about what transpired between the two former India teammates.

According to Sreesanth, the altercation began after he bowled a bouncer to Gambhir during the match. Recalling the sequence of events, the 42-year-old explained that Gambhir initially played an aggressive stroke before tensions escalated between the duo.

“Gauti (Gambhir) stepped out on the first ball and flicked it because he knows my (game), he’s a very good cricketer. I don’t know about the coaching part, but he’s a very good cricketer. So, I bowled the bouncer,” Sreesanth said, narrating his experience in an interview on Lallantop.

Sreesanth further alleged that Gambhir responded with verbal abuse and made remarks that crossed the line.

“And you know what he said? ‘I own you’. It was clear, he abused me. What he shouldn’t have said, he did, he called me a ‘fixer’,” Sreesanth elaborated.

The former India pacer claimed that he attempted to diffuse the situation by checking on Gambhir before the exchange became more intense.

“I leaned forward and asked him, ‘Gauti bhai, are you okay?’ Because I was huge, it looked like I would hit him. Then he was doing ‘F-F’ (using the F-word). Then he again said ‘fixer’, ‘Deshdrohi’,” he further claimed.

Interestingly, Gambhir and Sreesanth were part of two of India’s most memorable triumphs, featuring together in the squads that won the inaugural T20 World Cup 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011. However, relations between the two former teammates appear to have deteriorated significantly since their playing days.

The alleged “fixer” remark is believed to be linked to Sreesanth’s involvement in the IPL 2013 spot-fixing controversy. The pacer was initially handed a life ban by the BCCI before it was later reduced to seven years, allowing him to return to competitive cricket in 2020.

Meanwhile, Gambhir has enjoyed considerable success in his coaching career. Since taking charge as India’s head coach, the former opener has guided the Men in Blue to victories in the ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup in 2025, followed by a T20 World Cup triumph more recently.

MLC 2026: Match 5, WAS vs NY Match Prediction – Who will win today’s MLC match between Washington Freedom vs MI New York?
Washington Freedom (WAS) lock horns with MI New York (NY) in match No. 5 of the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.

📢MLC 2026: Match 5, WAS vs NY Match Prediction – Who will win today’s MLC match between Washington Freedom vs MI New York?

Washington freedom vs MI new york (Source - Washington freedom vs MI new york /Instagram)

Washington Freedom (WAS) lock horns with MI New York (NY) in match No. 5 of the ongoing Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.

This is a repeat of last year's final, where MI New York emerged victorious by five runs at the same venue. In MLC 2026, Washington Freedom started with a defeat to Seattle Orcas on Saturday. Steve Smith and Co. posted 216 in 20 overs, but the Orcas chased the total with five wickets and 14 balls to spare.

Meanwhile, defending champions MI New York are all set to start their campaign on Sunday. Led by Nicholas Pooran, MI New York have relied on continuity, retaining most of the players who brought them glory last season. The side is quite balanced, comprising plenty of match-winners with bat and ball.

WAS vs NY: Match Details

Match

Washington Freedom vs MI New York, Match 5 , Major League Cricket 2026

Date and Time (IST)

Sunday, June 21, 6:00 AM (IST)

Venue

Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas

Broadcast and Live Streaming

JioStar Network Channels and JioHotstar (App & Website)

Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas: Pitch Report

The Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas is an excellent venue for batters. 200-plus totals have been chased down twice in two 20-over matches. Meanwhile, the game between the San Francisco Unicorns and the Los Angeles Knight Riders was reduced to 14 overs per side due to rain. The Knights chased down a formidable 151-run target with seven wickets and two balls to spare. Winning the toss and opting to bowl first is the better option and defending totals is very difficult at this high-scoring venue.

WAS vs NY: Head-to-Head T20 Record

Matches Played

5

Won By WAS

4

Won By NY

1

No Result

0

First Meeting

July 6, 2024 (WAS Won)

Most Recent Meeting

July 13, 2025 (NY Won)

WAS vs NY: Predicted Playing XIs

Washington Freedom:

Mitchell Owen, Steven Smith (C), Mark Chapman, Andries Gous (WK), Glenn Maxwell, Obus Pienaar, Mukhtar Ahmed, Marco Jansen, Ian Holland, Lockie Ferguson, Saurabh Netravalkar.

MI New York:

Quinton de Kock (WK), Monank Patel, Ryan Rickelton, Nicholas Pooran (C), Tajinder Dhillon, Corey Anderson, Kieron Pollard, Romario Shepherd, Trent Boult, Nosthush Kenjige, Rushil Ugarkar.

WAS vs NY: Probable Best Performers of the Match

Probable Best Batter: Mitchell Owen

Mitchell Owen had a fantastic start to the season. In Washington's first game, he opened the batting with skipper Steven Smith and amassed 61 runs off 25 balls, belting 10 fours and two sixes. He will look to get his team off to another fiery start on Sunday.

Probable Best Bowler: Trent Boult

After a disappointing campaign in the IPL, Trent Boult would want to bounce back strongly in the MLC. The veteran left-arm seamer will have a key role to play with the new ball. If he can strike early, it will make things easier for his fellow bowlers.

Today's Match Prediction : Chasing team to win the match

📢'He will not come at No. 3' - Mohammad Kaif picks India’s batting line-up ahead of series vs England

Mohammad Kaif. (Photo by Chirag Wakaskar via Getty Images)

Mohammad Kaif shared his two cents on India's batting line-up ahead of the T20I series against England next month. The Men in Blue will be playing five T20Is and three ODIs against the Three Lions in the United Kingdom next month.

In the ongoing three-match ODI series between India and Afghanistan, Ishan Kishan has done well with the bat, continuing his stellar form from the IPL. He might not have played any game in the series if Virat Kohli had not been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. However, now that Kishan has performed impressively with the bat, there has been a debate on whether Kohli's place in the side is under threat during the England tour. However, Kaif believes that as long as the former India captain is in the squad, no one will be able to bench him.

The former Indian cricketer added that either Kishan or Shreyas Iyer could bat at No. 4 behind Kohli. Meanwhile, for the No. 5 position, he suggested a battle between spin-bowling all-rounders Washington Sundar and Axar Patel. For No.s 6 and 7, Kaif picked KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya, respectively, with an eye on next year's 50-over World Cup.

"You cannot shake Virat Kohli. He has drawn a very big line. I am talking about ODIs, at number three, it is not possible at this point for someone to cross that line and take his place. When a big tournament or a World Cup comes, the batting order will be the same. If Ishan plays also, he will not come at three, he will have to play lower. I think it will be Kohli at three, Shreyas or Ishan at four, Axar or Sundar at five, KL at six and Hardik at seven. I think this will be the team for the World Cup. No one can even become Kohli's shadow at number three at this point, forget taking his place," he said on his YouTube channel.

Kaif believes that despite putting in some stunning performances with the bat for India across the two white-ball formats, Kishan will have to wait for his chances in the ODI leg of the England tour as KL Rahul would be the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter, having fared remarkably in the last few years.

"What KL Rahul has done at six, his place is fixed and he will only keep wickets. Right now it is a phase of experiments with Ishan coming in and that is fine. Maybe KL would have asked for a bit of break too ight now after the IPL and telling Ishan to keep. KL is a proven player and is fit as well now. He will only play. This question has been raised before as well. Someone else coming in will have to wait. There is always a trend of running a team. His form has been great, he is scoring runs and bringing that finishing touch. He will always be ahead and Ishan will have to wait. These guys will get an opportunity once Rohit and Kohli are gone," he added.

Ishan Kishan can be a captaincy material as well: Mohammad Kaif

The cricketer-turned-expert backed Kishan to become a regular in the ODI team soon and opined that he is captaincy material, highlighting his impressive performance as the stand-in skipper of the Sunrisers Hyderabad during this year's IPL, when Pat Cummins was recovering from an injury.

"Ishan Kishan can be a captaincy material as well. He is batting well. He has a sharp brain. When Cummins was not there in the IPL, he captained brilliantly and won games for his team. He backed his bowlers very well. His time will come too," he said.

'He will not come at No. 3' - Mohammad Kaif picks India’s batting line-up ahead of series vs England
Mohammad Kaif shared his two cents on India's batting line-up ahead of the T20I series against England next month.

'You do not judge a player in one year' - Mohammad Kaif shares brutal remark on potential trade deal after IPL 2026
Mohammad Kaif did not hold back while calling out the recent reports of a trade between Delhi Capitals and the Lucknow Super Giants, where Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav could swap jerseys.

📢'You do not judge a player in one year' - Mohammad Kaif shares brutal remark on potential trade deal after IPL 2026

Mohammad Kaif. (Photo Source: Star Sports)

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif did not hold back while calling out the recent reports of a trade between the Delhi Capitals and the Lucknow Super Giants, where Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav could swap jerseys.

According to Cricbuzz, the Super Giants could allow Pant to reunite with the Capitals, but they will take Kuldeep Yadav in exchange. While the Capitals already have wicketkeeping options like KL Rahul and Abishek Porel in their ranks, Lucknow do not have a reliable spinner who could make an impact through the middle overs.

Kuldeep had a disappointing outing with the ball in IPL 2026. In 12 matches, he picked up just 10 wickets at an average of 38.10 and an economy rate of 10.30. However, Kaif said that Kuldeep's value shouldn't be judged by just one bad season. The cricketer-turned-expert also added that during the left-arm spinner's tough times, none of the teams he played for, like the Kolkata Knight Riders or the Indian team, supported him.

"If Delhi send Kuldeep to LSG, there cannot be a bigger mistake than this. Forget this one year. You do not judge a player in one year. Ganguly is also there. He always says not to judge someone who is playing for ten years on the form of one season. If you panic at this time, which KKR did, Delhi picked Kuldeep and then see what he did except this one season. It will give you a clear picture," he said on his YouTube channel.

"If Delhi has done this trade, no one supports Kuldeep when he is going through a bad time. Neither did KKR, nor did the Indian team. In the Indian team as well, he is the first to be dropped. It is difficult to find a bowler with his skill. You need to back the player. Delhi did not lose because of Kuldeep. There were a lot of errors and one of the factor was of Kuldeep. If you out the blame on one player and put him out, it will be the biggest mistake if they let him go," Mohammad Kaif added.

'It's the truth, and it feels bitter automatically' - Aakash Chopra addresses criticism over Harshit Rana's selection in 3rd ODI
Amid the criticism over Harshit Rana's surprising selection to the Indian team ahead of the third ODI against Afghanistan, Aakash Chopra revealed the protocol which is followed in such situations.

Reports: Hardik Pandya ruled out of England tour, Virat Kohli asked to get fitness clearance
Hardik has yet to recover from the quadricep injury that he went through while recuperating from the back spasm. On the other hand, Kohli is also undergoing a recovery from his hamstring injury.

📢Reports: Hardik Pandya ruled out of England tour, Virat Kohli asked to get fitness clearance

Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya. (SOurce:BCCi)

All-rounder Hardik Pandya has reportedly been ruled out for India's upcoming white-ball tour of England in July 2026. Meanwhile, superstar batter Virat Kohli will have to obtain a fitness clearance from the BCCI before taking part in the three ODIs scheduled as part of the series. Both have missed the ongoing Afghanistan ODI series due to respective injuries.

Hardik has yet to recover from the quadricep injury that he went through while recuperating from the back spasm. On the other hand, Kohli is also undergoing a recovery from his hamstring injury that occurred during the IPL 2026 final, where the batter scored an unbeaten 75 for RCB to lift the second title for the franchise.

According to India Today, Hardik will not be able to participate in the England series since the fresh injury, which was earlier expected to get better in three weeks' time, will now require further time to recover from. Kohli, on the other hand, will have to prove his fitness before getting a return-to-play nod from the management, according to another report by Jagran.

With the duo's absence from the ongoing home series against Afghanistan, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Harshit Rana were added to the squad. While Jaiswal failed to impress, Rana did not make an appearance in the series as the management chose not to rush back the pacer into action right away having recovered from a knee injury.

More follows!

📢'It's the truth, and it feels bitter automatically' - Aakash Chopra addresses criticism over Harshit Rana's selection in 3rd ODI

Aakash Chopra and Harshit Rana. (Photo source: Instagram/Aakash Chopra and BCCI)

Amid the criticism over fit-again Harshit Rana's surprising selection to the Indian team ahead of the third ODI against Afghanistan, Aakash Chopra revealed the protocol which is followed in such situations. The third and final ODI is set to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, June 20.

Rana sustained a right knee injury ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 and missed the entire tournament. He also had to skip playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Some fans wondered how Rana returned to the Indian team despite not playing any domestic matches.

Former India opener Chopra explained that as no domestic cricket is happening at the moment, Rana must have proven his fitness in a few simulation matches at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE). Chopra stated that his update could come as a bitter piece of news for Rana's doubters.

"Harshit Rana's name has come in the Indian team. Someone was asking me how Harshit's name came when he hasn't played any domestic cricket. So let me just tell all of you that the rule to play domestic cricket is only applicable when domestic cricket is happening. Apart from that, you come after playing a few simulation matches in the COE, and it's equal for everyone," Chopra said in a video shared on his YouTube channel.

"I understand that Harshit Rana gets a lot of hate, and you might say that I am doing PR in this video. I am not doing PR. I am just explaining the protocol to you. The protocol is the same for everyone. You don't like me saying this, but it's the truth, and it feels bitter automatically," he added.

"The same is true for Harshit Rana" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya also potentially returning to the Indian side without playing domestic cricket

Chopra added that experienced campaigners like Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya, who are out of action due to injuries, will directly make it back into the national team after being cleared at the CoE by the medical team.

"If Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya play now, they won't get a chance to play anything in between, but they will straightaway walk into the team because you will already come after practising and doing match simulation in the COE. The same is true for Harshit Rana," he said.

Chopra said that when domestic cricket isn't happening, it doesn't make sense for a player like Rana, who has regained full fitness, to wait for months to get back into the national team.

"Whether you like him or you hate him, you will have to understand one thing. The rules will remain the same for everyone. Don't focus on a specific person and follow the protocols. If domestic cricket is happening, you ask players to come after playing one or two matches, so that we get to know (about their fitness), but if domestic cricket is not happening, will he not play cricket for six months? It doesn't make sense," Chopra observed.

IND vs AFG 2026: Is Harshit Rana playing 3rd ODI?
India made three changes to their playing XI from Lucknow; Afghanistan, on the other hand, made four.

📢IND vs AFG 2026: Is Harshit Rana playing 3rd ODI?

Harshit Rana (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

As the toss got underway at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, for the third and final ODI of the series between India (IND) and Afghanistan (AFG), fans wondered whether Harshit Rana , a late entrant into the squad, made it to the Men in Blue's playing XI for the series finale.

IND vs AFG: Toss Update

The toss went in favour of Afghanistan, as the visiting skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi iterated his decision of batting first at a batting-friendly deck at Chepauk. Moreover, he said that the conditions were quite hot in Lucknow for the second ODI, and with the temperature being even hotter in Chennai, he believes that batting first is the key to winning the match here.

IND vs AFG: IND make 3 changes, as AFG seek consolation win

While Indian captain Shubman Gill appeared at the toss, he also informed that they had made three changes to their playing XI from the preceding encounter. As a result, Prasidh Krishna, Harsh Dubey, and Nitish Kumar Reddy came back in for Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and KL Rahul, indicating that Harshit Rana would only carry drinks in the match.

The Afghans, on the other hand, made a whopping four changes, with Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ziaur Rahman and Fareed Ahmed Malik making their way into the playing XI for the final encounter.

IND vs AFG: What did the captains say?

Hashmatullah Shahidi, AFG captain,

"We want to bat first today. It's always hot in India in this month. Wicket also looks good. It's dry and hard. Hopefully we have a good start in the batting. In the last two games we missed some areas and didn't play the way we have played in the past. Hopefully we recover today and have good partnerships and bowl in the right areas. Four changes. Nabi is back; Azmat is playing. (Reads from his palm) Zia ur Rahman and Fareed Malik are in."

Shubman Gill, IND captain,

"Looks like a very good wicket. Would've batted first as well. It was pretty hot in the last match, and it's going to be no different here. It's about being consistent in the areas we're looking at. We'll be chasing in this match, and chasing big scores consistently and comfortably is one area where we haven't quite ticked the box yet. That's what we'll be looking at today. Three changes. Prasidh, Harsh and Nitish Reddy are back."

IND vs AFG: Playing XIs

Afghanistan

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Darwish Rasooli, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi, Fareed Ahmad Malik

India

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma , Shubman Gill (C), Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav

Hardik Pandya's fitness could be key to India's 2027 ODI World Cup hopes: WV Raman
Pandya's ability to balance the side by serving as a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder makes him one of India's most valuable assets in the 50-over format.