4.3 overs (0 Run)
Good-length and just outside off, Azmatullah Omarzai leaves it alone.

4.2 overs (0 Run)
Pitched up and on middle, Azmatullah Omarzai blocks it out on the pitch.

Azmatullah Omarzai walks in with Afghanistan in a spot of bother.

4.1 overs (0 Run)
OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Jasprit Bumrah gets his second and Afghanistan are in huge trouble now. This one is a slower delivery as Bumrah rolls his fingers on it, lands this on a good length, on middle, Hazratullah Zazai looks to flick it away but closes the face of the bat very early, the ball loops off the leading edge towards point where Ravindra Jadeja takes a dolly.

3.6 overs (0 Run)
Slows it up, short and on middle, turns away, Gulbadin Naib looks to work it away but gets an outside edge along the ground to short third. A wicket-maiden to start from Axar Patel.

3.5 overs (0 Run)
Darts this one on middle, Gulbadin Naib pushes it back to the bowler.

Gulbadin Naib is the new batter in.

3.4 overs (0 Run)
OUT! STRAIGHT TO THE FIELDER! Axar Patel strikes in his first over as well! He sees the batter back away and fires this one, full and around middle, Ibrahim Zadran tries to loft it over extra covers, but fails to get the elevation and hits it flat and straight to Rohit Sharma who takes a sharp catch. Afghanistan loses both their openers now!

3.3 overs (0 Run)
Quicker, short and on middle, goes with the arm, Ibrahim Zadran gets hurried and pushes it down the pitch.

3.2 overs (0 Run)
Floated, full and on middle, Ibrahim Zadran knocks it to the left of the bowler.

3.1 overs (0 Run)
Axar Patel starts with a flatter delivery, angling into the pads, Ibrahim Zadran tucks it to short mid-wicket.

2.6 overs (1 Run)
On a length and on off, Ibrahim Zadran pushes it through covers for one more. End of an eventful over!

2.5 overs (1 Run)
A slower one, full and on off, Hazratullah Zazai taps it to the off side for one.

2.4 overs (1 Run)
DROPPED! Of all people, it is Virat Kohli who puts it down! Short of a length and outside off, Ibrahim Zadran punches it but fails to keep it down, the ball flies towards point where Kohli leaps up, gets both hands on it but spills it out. No one in the field can believe it, neither can we. A single is taken and Zadran gets a life here! The timing of the jump from Kohli was all wrong too.

2.3 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Excellent shot! Back of a length and just around off, but that is enough for Ibrahim Zadran to free his arms and crunch it behind point for a boundary.

2.2 overs (1 Run)
Fuller and on off, Hazratullah Zazai knocks it towards long off for a run.

2.1 overs (1 Run)
Pitched up and around off, Ibrahim Zadran pushes it through covers for a single. They look for two but decide against it as it is Ravindra Jadeja who is the fielder there.

1.6 overs (0 Run)
Length again and on off, keeps a bit low, Hazratullah Zazai keeps it out to the off side. Just one run and a big wicket from the over!

1.5 overs (1 Run)
On a length and on off, Ibrahim Zadran runs it down to third man for a single.

1.4 overs (0 Run)
Hard length and around off, shaping in sharply, Ibrahim Zadran looks to defend but gets beaten on the inside edge.

1.3 overs (0 Run)
Back of a length and on off, Ibrahim Zadran dabs it down to cover-point.

Ibrahim Zadran walks in at number 3.

1.2 overs (0 Run)
OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Who else, it is that man Jasprit Bumrah once again! He sees the batter back away and bowls this a touch fuller, but well outside off and slower too, Rahmanullah Gurbaz still tries to reach for it, and throws his bat it. However, he only manages to toe-end it behind where Rishabh Pant makes no mistake. Early blow for Afghanistan!

1.1 overs (0 Run)
Jasprit Bumrah begins with a good-length delivery, on off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz pats it down to covers.

Jasprit Bumrah to operate from the other end.

0.6 over (1 Run)
Uppish but safe! Short of a length and around off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz trise to ramp it away but gets a top edge, the ball flies and lands just wide of the diving Jasprit Bumrah at short third. They cross. 13 runs off the first over then!

0.5 over (6 Runs)
SIX! BANG! That is some shot from Rahmanullah Gurbaz! Arshdeep Singh bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Rahmanullah Gurbaz skips down the track once again, gets on top of the bounce and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

0.4 over (0 Run)
BEAUTY! Hits the perfect length, on the fifth stump line, nips away a shy bit, Rahmanullah Gurbaz stays in his crease to push at it but gets beaten on the outside edge.

0.4 over (1 Run)
Arshdeep Singh bangs in a bouncer this time, but it goes over the head of the batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz sways away from it. Wided.

0.3 over (0 Run)
Back of a length, just outside off, gets it shape away once again, Rahmanullah Gurbaz charges down the track but is nowhere near the ball.

0.2 over (0 Run)
Good-length delivery, in that channel outside off, shaping away, Rahmanullah Gurbaz withdraws his bat at the last moment.

0.1 over (4 Runs)
FOUR! Shot of intent! Arshdeep Singh goes fuller this time, on middle, no movement, Rahmanullah Gurbaz comes down the track, presents the full face of he bat, and lofts it over the bowler’s head for the first boundary of the chase.

0.1 over (1 Run)
Afghanistan get underway with extras! Arshdeep Singh starts with a hard-length delivery but way, way outside off, Rahmanullah Gurbaz leaves it alone. It is called a wide.

1.6 overs (0 Run)
No run.

1.5 overs (1 Run)
On a length and sliding onto the pads, Rohit Sharma tucks it away around the corner and rotates the strike.

1.4 overs (0 Run)
Bowled on the shorter side and angled into the batter, Rohit Sharma tries to back away and go over the infield but mistimes the shot to mid off.

1.3 overs (1 Run)
Comes from over the stumps now and drifts it into the legs, Virat Kohli looks to flick off the front foot but misses. The ball rolls off the pads behind square leg and they get a leg bye.

1.2 overs (1 Run)
Bowled flatter and on middle and leg, Rohit Sharma gets inside the line and sweeps it hard through backward square leg for a single.

1.1 overs (0 Run)
Starts from around the stumps and fires it into the blockhole around middle, Rohit Sharma clears the front leg but can’t get under it and hits it straight to mid on. Afghanistan receive their first warning for not starting the over in time.

Afghanistan going with spin early on as Mohammad Nabi is ready to share the attack now.

0.6 over (1 Run)
Nice and full, angling it across the off stump, Rohit Sharma reaches out to drive but miscues it towards mid-wicket for a single. 5 off the first over!

0.5 over (4 Runs)
FOUR! Sloppy from the fielder but Rohit Sharma and India are underway. Lovely length, around the top of off and just seaming back in late. Rohit Sharma tentatively pushes at it and squirts the ball off the outside edge and to the right of short third where Hazratullah Zazai dives over the ball and lets it through for a boundary.

0.4 over (0 Run)
Four dots on the trot, tidy thus far from Fazalhaq Farooqi. Nagging length on off stump, not quite full and Rohit Sharma clears the front leg to heave it across the line but the ball beats the inside edge.

0.3 over (0 Run)
Pitched up right on the stumps this time, Rohit Sharma gets on the front foot again and just gently pushes the ball back to the bowler.

0.2 over (0 Run)
Goes full and wide outside the off stump, looking for the big indipper and it doesn’t quite come out. Rohit Sharma reaches for it but the ball sneaks under the bat and just inside the tramline.

0.1 over (0 Run)
On the money! Begins from over the stumps and serves it on a good length, trying to shape it back in from around the off stump. Rohit Sharma gets on the front foot and pushes it solidly towards extra cover.

Done with the pre-match formalities! We can see the Afghanistan spread out and take their respective field positions. India are sticking with the same opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Interestingly, both have scored exactly 4042 T20I runs each at the moment. The leading wicket-taker in the World Cup so far, Fazalhaq Farooqi has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let’s play…

We are moments away from the start of this big clash but before that, the players from both sides make their way out to the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be India’s first followed by the national anthem of Afghanistan.

PITCH REPORT – Ian Smith is pitchside. He says that the weather conditions are great and there is a nice breeze going towards the ocean. Adds that the square boundaries are 67m and 58m while the straight hit is 70m. Sunil Gavaskar joins him and points out that there are a few cracks on the surface that could help the wrist spinners. Ends by saying that it is still a good pitch for batting as the ball will come onto the bat nicely.

Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan says that they would have batted first as well but it doesn’t matter much in T20 and it is all about the mindset. Adds that he is quite happy with how they have prepared and how the batters have gone about their business in 3 out of the 4 games and now it is all about controlling emotions and playing their natural game. Mentions that being here in West Indies from the start will help a bit and informs that Hazratullah Zazai comes in for Karim Janat.

The Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma says that they will bat first. He adds that it looks like a good track, flat and not much grass on it. He expects it to slow down later in the game. Mentions that it looks definitely better than New York but it was important to get the results there. Says that they had a good training session and will look to adapt well. Further adds, that it is different playing in the West Indies as in any other country, they start in the evening but here it is an early start and they enjoy playing here. Informs they have made one change as Kuldeep Yadav comes in for Mohammed Siraj.

India (Playing XI) – Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav (In for Mohammed Siraj), Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.

Afghanistan (Playing XI) – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Hazratullah Zazai (In for Karim Janat), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan (C), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

TOSS – The coin is flipped by Rashid Khan but it lands in favor of India. Rohit Sharma opts to BAT first.

India on the other hand played their last game more than a week ago as their final fixture against Canada was washed out but they had won all three games by then. The top order has certainly looked shaky and a lot of focus will be on Virat Kohli and whether or not he can turn this disastrous rut around. One big positive for them is that Suryakumar Yadav has an excellent record against Rashid Khan and India have an unblemished record against Afghanistan at the senior level. Given that India like to play the same XI more often than not, whether or not we will see an extra spinner in the side remains a big question mark. Can India bolster their claim as one of the favorites to win the tournament with another win? Or will we finally see the upcoming Asian side, Afghanistan take down the Asian Powerhouse? We shall find out in a few hours’ time. Toss and team news in a bit, stay tuned.

Afghanistan come into the contest having won 3 out of their 4 games in the initial group stage and all three of those wins were pretty convincing, especially the one against the Kiwis. However, they were humbled by West Indies in their final group game and will look to shrug it off quickly as they have played some fantastic cricket in the tournament. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Fazalhaq Farooqi are amongst the leading run-getters and wicket-takers, respectively, and will be key to their success. Skipper, Rashid Khan will also be looking to weave his magic and lead his side to a memorable win.

Hello and a warm welcome to Bridgetown in Barbados where Afghanistan will take on India at the Kensington Oval. This is the first fixture in Group 1 of the Super Eight stage of the competition with the likes of South Africa and England getting a win each in the other group. Given that the top 8 teams of the competition are playing each other, no game can be taken lightly and both sides will be itching to put a win on board and take the early lead.