The India National Cricket Team is scheduled to face the Afghanistan National Cricket Team in the second fixture of their historic, first-ever bilateral One-Day International (ODI) series. Having secured a victory in the rain-shortened first ODI at Dharamshala, India leads the three-match series 1-0 and aims to secure an unassailable lead.
Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, the hosts look to maintain their clinical momentum. Meanwhile, Afghanistan, led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, enters the contest highly motivated to square the series, relying on their strong spin variations and explosive top-order talent.
Match Details & Live Streaming
- Venue: Ekana International Cricket Stadium, Lucknow, India
- Date & Time: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 01:30 PM IST
- Live Broadcasting & Streaming: Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar
IND vs AFG: Head-to-Head Record
- Matches Played: 5
- Won by India: 4
- Won by Afghanistan: 0
- Tied/No Result: 1
Pitch Report
The surface at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow traditionally offers a competitive, balanced contest. Early on, the pitch provides standard bounce and carry, but it is known to offer notable assistance to spin bowlers as the match progresses.
In the opening ODI of this series, heavy rain reduced the match to 25 overs per side. Clear weather is anticipated for Lucknow, though captains winning the toss will carefully evaluate secondary factors like dew before deciding whether to set a total or chase.
Team Analysis
India: The Indian squad features a transition-focused lineup captained by Shubman Gill, who top-scored with an unbeaten 84 in the first match. The opening partnership relies on Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who joined the squad as a replacement for the injured Virat Kohli. The bowling department features a young pace combination alongside the experienced spin option of Kuldeep Yadav.
Afghanistan: Afghanistan features a balanced squad marshaled by captain Hashmatullah Shahidi. The explosive Rahmanullah Gurbaz remains their primary asset at the top, coming off a spectacular century (102 off 51 balls) in the previous game. Their bowling attack is strengthened by the world-class spin of Rashid Khan alongside young talent like Allah Ghazanfar.
Match Prediction
India enters the contest with an 87.1% winning probability according to pre-match analysis, backed by a deep batting order and strong collective execution. However, if Afghanistan’s top order can replicate their aggressive start and their spinners exploit the Lucknow surface, they remain entirely capable of challenging the hosts.
Prediction: India is favored to win and seal the series.
IND vs AFG: Predicted Playing XI
India (IND):
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna.
Afghanistan (AFG):
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharote, Fareed Ahmad, Mohammad Saleem.
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