India leads the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan 2-0. For the final match at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, Yash Thakur replaced Arshdeep Singh in the lineup. Afghanistan’s captain Ibrahim Zadran won the toss and chose to bowl first, giving India their first chance to bat in the series.
Yash Thakur was already part of the squad after Harshit Rana’s absence last week. This change was made to give Arshdeep Singh a break after his consistent performances in the first two matches. Shreyas Iyer confirmed the change at the toss, saying it adds a fun challenge for the team and emphasizes sticking to the moment without overcomplicating things.
Yash Thakur, born on December 28, 1998, is a right-arm fast-medium bowler representing Vidarbha in domestic cricket. He made his T20I debut in Zimbabwe earlier this year, taking four wickets in two matches. Known for his consistency, Yash has taken 97 wickets in first-class cricket and 114 wickets in T20s.
In the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy, Yash was Vidarbha’s top wicket-taker with 19 wickets, including impressive performances against Baroda and Saurashtra. He made his IPL debut with Lucknow Super Giants in 2023 and joined Punjab Kings in 2024. His recent form has earned him playing time ahead of the Asian Games quarterfinal.
India’s final Delhi match provided an opportunity for Yash and other seamers to build momentum before the big tournament. The squad includes Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, and Jasprit Bumrah.