On Thursday (January 11), India will face Afghanistan in the first of three Twenty20 Internationals at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.

Following the one-off Test in 2018, these two sides will compete in a bilateral series for the first time, with the three-match T20I series being the first instance of bilateral white-ball play. 

With the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the Indian T20I squad, India will look to fine-tune their squad and find the perfect balance in the team as these three games are the Men in Blue's final round of T20Is before the 2024 T20 World Cup.

In the meantime, Afghanistan will view the T20I series as an opportunity to further cement their credentials as an emerging force in cricket, as they will face one of the top-ranked teams in the shortest format.

Indeed, the Afghans outperformed everyone's expectations by finishing sixth in the 2023 World Cup. In fact, until losing their final two group stage games, they were in contention for a semi-final position.

The three-match T20I series between India and Afghanistan will begin on January 11 in Mohali. Following a dominant performance on the tour to South Africa, the hosts will be looking to maintain their supremacy in the shortest format as well. All eyes will be on stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who are returning to the T20I setup after a nearly 14-month absence.

The pair last played a T20I match at the World Cup in 2022, and they have only played ODIs and Test matches since then. They will be constantly monitored by selectors, who will keep a tight eye on the pair, especially with the T20 World Cup coming up in June. This should be a normal outing for the veterans, who have maintained their dominance across formats for years.

IND vs AFG, 1st T20: Pitch Report

The ground at the PCA Stadium used to be ideal for seam bowling. However, the surface has become more batting-friendly over the years, with some high-scoring contests taking place. 

The most recent T20I on this field, between India and Australia, saw 419 runs scored as both teams passed the 200-run barrier. 

We should expect more of the same on Thursday. The captain who wins the toss, on the other hand, may choose to field first. The side batting second has won four of the six T20Is played at this venue. 

IND vs AFG, 1st T20: Weather Report

The temperature in Mohali is projected to be around 14 degrees Celsius, based on the total temperature in North India during the winter. As the game progresses, the temperature will drop to 9 degrees Celsius. However, there is no chance of rain during or before the game.

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar.

Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Karim Janat, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Naveen Ul Haq, Qais Ahmad