T20 World Cup 2021, IND vs AFG: 4 milestones to watch out for
Match 33 of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup is set to take place at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi between India and Afghanistan on Wednesday.
While kohli" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Virat Kohli and his men are virtually out of the race after their defeat against New Zealand on Sunday, they will still be looking to salvage what's left and give a shot at the only possibility - India need to win their three remaining games by big margins and the Kiwis need to lose at least one of their remaining three matches.
The Afghans, on the other hand, have won two out of three and are still very much in the race. While they are not the favorites to advance to the semis, they have a quality side that can upset just about any team. India will have to be at their best.
While it would be interesting to see who emerges victorious, let's take a look at some of the individual milestones that can be achieved during the match..
#1 KL Rahul is 11 runs short of completing 5,500 runs in T20 cricket
The 29-year-old might still be finding his feet in the tournament but Rahul has surely been an impressive batter for the Men in Blue over the years. Especially in the shortest format of the game.
Rahul has scored 1,578 runs in 50 T20 internationals at an average of almost 39. Coming to the biggest T20 league in the world, Rahul has been a strong contender for the Orange Cap in this edition of the IPL until the end.
Rahul needs just 11 runs to join the 5,500-run club in all T20 cricket, and we do hope he gets going against Afghanistan and provides India a flying start they desperately need.
#2 Hardik Pandya is four big hits away from collecting 100 sixes in international cricket
Though Pandya scored 23(24) and bowled a couple of overs against New Zealand in the last match, he failed to get those big hits he is known for.
The 28-year-old crossed the 500-run mark in T20Is in the game against the Kiwis and has a chance to achieve another feat in the upcoming clash against Afghanistan.
Hardik needs to clear the fence four times to gather 100 maximums across formats in international cricket. With his six-hitting abilities, India will be banking on him against Mohammad Nabi and his men to help them post a big total or chase one down in quick time.
#3 Rashid Khan needs 1 scalp to become the fourth bowler to complete 400 T20 wickets
The wily leggie has been a great asset for Afghanistan and, in fact, for T20 cricket on the whole. Rashid has proven himself time and again in the IPL and across various competitive T20 leagues. He has an impressive record when it comes to T20 Internationals as well. The 23-year-old joined the 100-wicket club in T20Is during the match against Pakistan and became the fastest bowler to achieve the feat.
If Rashid is among the wickets against Kohli and his men, he will become only the fourth bowler to take 400 wickets in T20 cricket. Given his form, it won't be a surprise if he reaches the milestone against India.
#4 Hazratullah Zazai is 27 shy of 2,000 runs in T20 cricket
Though he failed to click in the previous match, Zazai has been an explosive opener for Afghanistan over the years. The left-hander is 27 runs short of the 2,000-run mark in T20 cricket and it would be a great personal milestone for him to achieve the feat against India.