India vs Afghanistan Live Score, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023: Unexpectedly, the 2023 World Cup is shaping up to be rather unique. After eight games thus far, not a single one has gone to the very end; instead, the winning teams have found it very easy to pursue or defend their targets.

On paper, Wednesday's match between Afghanistan and India might proceed as expected, but don't count out the possibility that the Afghans could surprise the Men in Blue.

Even though they had ended a five-match losing streak, a major upset is always possible in Afghanistan. And the odds increase slightly when the event is held at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, one of the nation's smaller venues.

It is not anticipated that the Kotla will exploit Chennai-like conditions. In fact, South Africa crushed the highest World Cup total ever (428), and they achieved it against a spin-heavy Sri Lankan attack, the last time an ODI was played here. While Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi are all excellent spinners, it remains to be seen if Afghanistan's bowling arsenal will be effective on a track that favours batting, like Delhi.

India winning the toss, opting to bat first and producing a batting clinic would be the perfect scenario, but when have cricket matches ever been won on perfection? Although Afghanistan has never been one to participate in major events, they did just emerge victorious from an ODI series in Bangladesh, something India had not done in their previous two trips there.

India will go into the match having started their World Cup campaign well against Australia, when they overcame an early deficit of 2/3 to chase down 200. It was not a massive total, but it was one that demanded virtues like patience and composure, which KL Rahul and Virat Kohli demonstrated with great skill. For India, Rahul's arrival has changed everything, and Kohli, well, this is supposed to be his World Cup.

These days, if someone brings up the subject of Kohli, Naveen-ul-Haq's name is almost a given.

This is the first time that Naveen and Kohli have faced one other on the same pitch since their brutal and infamous altercation during the IPL. Although some of the enthusiasm around the Asia Cup was tempered by Naveen's exclusion, his return for the World Cup—which also happens to be his last ODI appearance before he retires from the format after this tournament—looks to inject some drama into today's match.

Here are some interesting pointers surrounding the World Cup 2023 tie between India vs Afghanistan:

- Afghanistan have never defeated India in any format.

- Ravindra Jadeja has picked 7 ODI wickets against Afghanistan and 9 wickets in Delhi.

- Naveen-Ul-Haq and Virat Kohli will come face to face for the first time since their bust-up in the IPL.

- Kohli returns to his home ground of the Arun Jaitley Stadium. He has scored 222 runs from 6 ODI innings with a highest of 112.

- India have won 13 ODIs and lost 7 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.