ICC World Cup 2019: Match 28, India vs Afghanistan – Statistical Preview

India has more or less confirmed their top four finish with comfortable wins against South Africa, Australia and Pakistan in their first three completed games. They will now face Afghanistan who lost all the five matches they played in the tournament. India might take this game as an opportunity to try a few things with their batting as Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the tournament due to an injury to his thumb. Rishabh Pant, who was called up as cover, will be replacing his Delhi-mate.

All the key stats and numbers ahead of the game between India and Afghanistan:

0 – India is the only team which has not lost a wicket to spin in this World Cup. A total of 53 overs have been bowled by the spinners at the Indian batsmen in this tournament without taking a wicket. They conceded 339 runs in those 53 overs at an economy of 6.39.

2 – India and Afghanistan faced off twice in ODI cricket – in 2014 and 2018 Asia Cups. India won the 2014 edition game comfortably under Virat Kohli’s captaincy while the 2018 edition match ended in a Tie which was led by Afghanistan after stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma took rest.

2 – Only twice in the ODI history India has lost to a team outside the first ten full member nations. Kenya defeated India by 69 runs in the 1998 Gwalior ODI and by 70 runs during the 2001 Tri-Series in South Africa.

5 – Afghanistan lost all the five matches they played in this tournament. This is the first time they lost five consecutive matches in ODI cricket. Their previous longest losing streak in ODIs was of four during 2015 which includes their three losses in last three games at the CWC15.

5 – Rohit Sharma has scored 50+ runs in his previous five ODI innings. Prior to this streak, he never produced four consecutive fifty-plus scores in ODIs. If he scores at least 50 runs in the next game as well, he will be the first Indian with six consecutive fifty-plus scores in ODIs. Interestingly, his current opening partner KL Rahul is the only Indian with seven consecutive 50+ scores in Test cricket.

5 – Rashid Khan has taken only five wickets in the six ODI innings since the IPL 2019. He bowled 50.5 overs in those six innings and is averaging 59.20; close to 4 times his career average. Rashid’s economy rate of 5.82 and strike rate of 61.0 in this span are quite higher than his career ODI numbers.

24 – Yuzvendra Chahal’s bowling strike rate of 24 in the 2019 ODIs is the 2nd best for any bowler this year. Among the bowlers with 20+ ODI wickets in 2019, only Pat Cummins (23.8) has a better rate than Chahal. In ten ODIs this year, the Indian leg-spinner bagged 22 wickets at an average of 23.04.

72 – Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul pair has a partnership average of 72 in International cricket; the best for an Indian pair with 1000+ runs. The duo has shared 1080 runs in 17 partnerships with the help of three century stands and six fifty-run stands. However, the game in Manchester against Pakistan was the first time the duo opened together in an ODI.