IND vs AFG ODIs: Hardik Pandya set to achieve two major feats

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Team India is all set to clash against Afghanistan in the three-match ODI series, beginning from June 13. The first match is scheduled to be played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala.

Ahead of the first match, Team India`s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is set to accomplish two feats in the format`s history. The right-handed batsman is falling short of 96 runs from completing his tally of 2000 runs for the “Men in Blue” in the format. So far, he has garnered 1904 runs in 94 ODI matches for India, and also has 11 half-centuries to his name.

With the ball, he needs nine wickets to complete 100 scalps. In 94 games, the Gujarat-born cricketer has registered 91 wickets, with his best bowling figures being four wickets for 24 runs.

Hardik is also fully fit and has been cleared by the Sports Science team of the BCCI`s Centre of Excellence.

Earlier, he missed out on a few IPL matches for the Mumbai Indians (MI) due to back spasms. He has been at the CoE in Bengaluru since June 2.

“Hardik was on a holiday abroad before he checked in at the CoE on June 2. Over the next five days, he did several match simulations and even bowled (full quota of) 10 overs,” a BCCI source told PTI.

“There has been no discomfort and the information is that his fitness data for various parameters has been okayed by Strength and Conditioning coaches at the CoE,” the source added.

The second ODI match between the teams will be played on June 17 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground in Lucknow, followed by the third game on June 20 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

IND vs AFG ODIs: Full squads

India: Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul (WK), Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan (WK), Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Shubman Gill (C), Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harsh Dubey, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Gurnoor Brar, Prince Yadav.

Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi, Hashmatullah Shahidi (C), Rahmat Shah, Fareed Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Ikram Alikhil (WK), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Abdul Rasooli, Nangeyalia Kahrote, Qais Ahmad, Ziaur Rahman, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Sediqullah Atal, Bilal Sami, Mohammad Saleem, Allah Ghazanfar, Bashir Ahmad.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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