This is an archive article published on June 20, 2024
IND vs AFG T20 World Cup 2024: Can India deal with versatile Afghanistan on Barbados pitch
IND vs AFG: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli need to be wary of Fazalhaq Farooqi's new ball burst and the middle-order power-hitters Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube need to deal with tweakers Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi
(LEFT) India's Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have to be wary of left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi (RIGHT), who has been a class apart with the new ball for Afghanistan. (PHOTOS: AP)
IND vs AFG T20 World Cup 2024: Afghanistan blew away three out of their four oppositions’ under 100 runs during the Group Stages. When India take on Afghanistan in their Super Eight clash in Barbados, they will be well aware of the venom and versatility of the Afghan attack. The pitch in Bridgetown so far has provided a balance between bat and ball and an in-form Afghan attack might tilt the balance.
The Barbados pitch has been conducive to fast bowlers in this tournament. And left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi has been a class apart with the new ball for Afghanistan. Despite playing on the other docile Caribbean pitches he made the new ball talk. The 23-year-old has scalped 12 batters, conceding just 6.66 runs per wicket.
T20I stats in Barbados since 2010 ahead of IND vs AFG
Batting 1st
Batting 2nd
Wins
52
38
Average score
153
147.2
One of the major strengths of Farooqi has been his ability to swing the new ball both ways. And he would no doubt probe Rohit with in-swinging deliveries before test him outside off with an away-shaper. It won’t be an one-dimensional attack. He can also test Virat Kohli’s game outside off-stump on the fourth stump line, which the Afghan pacer in his current form, can execute immaculately.
However, the problem for Afghanistan arises in the middle-overs with the onset of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi into the attack. Their record is not flash against India. Rashid is yet to pick a wicket against India in internationals and is going at 8.63, whereas the off-spinner Nabi has an even worse record going at 10.87 and one wicket from seven games. The average first and second innings run rates in Barbados since 2010 have been 7.65 and 7.35, which is lower than what the Afghan spin duo has been conceding against India.
Stats in Barbados this World Cup ahead of IND vs AFG
Pace
Spin
Wickets
37
17
Economy
7.54 RPO
7.27 RPO
Strike Rate
15.8 balls per wicket
24.7 balls per wicket
The matchup between the Indian middle-order and Afghan spinners becomes pivotal in Barbados because of the nature of the surface. As the stats suggest, batting first has been easier at this venue as the wicket gets increasingly slower.
Even in the same innings, the pitch has often played differently. In the marquee clash between Australia and England earlier in the tournament, both teams made a mockery of the bowlers in the Powerplay, scoring 74 and 54, respectively. However, once the ball got softer and older, the power-hitting became increasingly difficult in the middle overs and back-end of an innings.
For India to counter the spin threat, middle-order batters Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube will have to shine with contrasting boundary-hitting methods.
Lalith Kalidas is a Senior Sub-Editor with the sports team at The Indian Express (digital), where he specializes in cricket coverage.
Based on his profile and recent work, here are the key details about him:
Professional Background
Role: He works with the online sports desk, focusing primarily on the happenings in the cricket world, with a specific interest in India's domestic cricket circuit.
Expertise: He is known for data-driven stories and statistical analysis. He writes a weekly stats-based column titled 'Stats Corner'.
Experience: He has over five years of experience in sports journalism. Before joining The Indian Express in February 2024, he worked for Sportstar (part of The Hindu group).
Education: He holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Madras Christian College.
Sports Background: He is a former cricketer who represented Kerala in state-level tournaments, which often informs his technical analysis of the game.
Notable Recent Work & Beats
Series Coverage: He has been extensively covering the India vs. South Africa series (2024–2025), including tactical breakdowns of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, and Abhishek Sharma.
Investigative Journalism: He recently authored a major investigative series for The Indian Express regarding the Cricket Association of Puducherry (CAP), exploring issues like "short-cuts" to the big leagues, dodgy records, and how a private firm took over the association.
Major Events: He was part of the team that covered the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India.
IPL Analysis: He provides in-depth coverage of the IPL auctions and the rise of uncapped players.
You can follow his latest articles and updates on his Indian Express profile page or via his social media links (X/Twitter and LinkedIn) listed there. ... Read More
Tanishq Vaddi is a Sports Writer with the online team of The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. He primarily covers cricket and is known for his in-depth analysis and technical reporting on the game.
Professional Background
Role: He covers a wide range of cricketing action, including international matches (Tests, T20Is), domestic tournaments (Challenger Trophy), and major cricket leagues (IPL, WPL).
Education: Tanishq holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from MVSR Engineering College and a PG Diploma in English Journalism (Print) from the Asian School of Journalism.
Experience: Before joining The Indian Express in late 2022, he gained experience covering the startup ecosystem at YourStory and worked as a copywriter at Story Digital.
Key Areas of Coverage
Tanishq’s writing often focuses on the technical and psychological aspects of cricket. His notable work includes:
Technical Analysis: Explaining bowling actions (e.g., Simon Harmer’s bounce) and batting techniques (e.g., Ben Duckett’s sweep shot).
Interviews: He has interviewed prominent figures such as former England player Nick Knight, bowling coach Rajib Datta, and mental health coach Paddy Upton.
Statistical Comparisons: Detailed career analysis, such as comparing Shubman Gill’s early career stats with legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
Regional Cricket: Reporting on developments in South Indian cricket, including the appointment of Gary Stead as the head coach for Andhra.
Notable Recent Articles
"IND vs SA 2nd Test: How did Simon Harmer beat Yashasvi Jaiswal with bounce?" (Nov 2025)
"2026 Under-19 World Cup: Bowling coach outlines India's preparation" (Nov 2025)
"Nick Knight interview: Joe Root will score big runs in Australia" (Nov 2025)
"Gary Stead appointed as head coach for Andhra for the 25/26 season" (Sept 2025)
"Jason Gillespie explains what makes Jasprit Bumrah and Pat Cummins so special, and why reverse swing will be key with Kookaburra ball"
You can follow his latest reports on the Indian Express website or via his Twitter handle @TanishqVaddi. ... Read More
(LEFT) India's Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have to be wary of left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi (RIGHT), who has been a class apart with the new ball for Afghanistan. (PHOTOS: AP)
