India are aiming to close out the series in front of their home crowd. In the rain-affected opener, reduced to 25 overs per side, they kept Afghanistan to 194 and chased it with seven wickets in hand and 13 balls remaining. The bowling group is relatively inexperienced, but debutants Gurnoor Brar and Harsh Dubey both made a good impression.
For Afghanistan, this match is about levelling the series and staying alive before the third and final ODI on 20 June. They need a much better batting effort after struggling in the opener. Their main strength is spin, and they will rely heavily on the quality and experience of Rashid Khan and AM Ghazanfar to put India under pressure.
The Lucknow surface should suit that plan, as it slows down and rewards patient batting with good strike rotation over aggressive hitting. Given the heat and the pitch, the middle overs are likely to decide the contest, and India’s depth and home conditions make them our choice.
