India Faces Afghanistan in First ODI: Match Preview and Betting Odds

India is gearing up to face Afghanistan in the opening One Day International of a three-match series at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Saturday afternoon. This encounter marks India's return to the 50-over format after their series against New Zealand in January.

Shubman Gill will captain the Indian side, stepping in as Rohit Sharma makes his comeback to the team. However, the squad will miss prominent players like Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya due to injuries. Gill aims to secure a series victory against Afghanistan, especially after India’s recent defeat to the Kiwis.

On the other side, Afghanistan is looking to pull off an upset against a formidable opponent they have yet to defeat in ODIs. Star bowler Rashid Khan returns to the lineup following a break during their recent one-off Test match, which they lost by an innings.

The toss is scheduled for 1 p.m., and both teams have finalized their predicted playing XI. India’s lineup includes Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, and Ishan Kishan, while Afghanistan will feature Ibrahim Zadran and Hashmatullah Shahidi as captain.

As for the odds, India has an 80% win probability, making them the favorites with betting odds of 1.13 on Dafa, whereas Afghanistan's odds stand at 5.70. These figures reflect the expectations heading into this exciting matchup.