Afghanistan skipper Asghar Stanikzai is giving his team some very animated last-minute instructions. Jason Roy and new opening partner James Vince are making their way out. Delhi is a long way from full.

Chris Butcher: How on earth is Jordan still in the side? Have the other bowlers requested he plays so they won't have the worst figures.

Rohit Kohli: We normally have one banana skin every ICC tournament and this Afghan side is much stronger than the Dutch side.

Jarleth Eaton: Glad to see James Vince given a chance. Absolutely smashes it in the T20 Blast! Should score runs today.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"It's a big day for James Vince because even though he has been netting he won't really have felt part of it and it's a very responsible position he will have right at the top of the order."

Actually, I've just heard the big finish. It's now in the top one. Sorry, Australia.

That's my first exposure to the Afghan national anthem. I'm a big fan. Upbeat, bouncy and rousing. In my top three from the tournament.

The players are coming out for the anthems, walking towards some huge flags. There are a lot of very rowdy Afghan fans in the crowd.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"All we know of all the teams, is that New Zealand are the only ones to qualify. I don't think anything else will be decided today. We are looking at a pitch that looks rather green but not venomous green, it is not going to hoop around."

Rohit Kohli: We normally have one banana skin every ICC tournament and this Afghan side is much stronger than the Dutch side.

BBC Test Match Special

There's no need to remind you anymore, is there? You know we've got this tournament covered from every angle. (Actually, not every angle. Moeen Ali wouldn't let us put a camera in his beard).

Anyway, watch the highlights as they happen at the top of this page, listen to Test Match Special (on air now) and, if that's not good enough, you're stuck reading my drivel.

Afghanistan: Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Noor Ali Zadran, Asghar Stanikzai (capt), Shafiqullah, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shenwari, Gulbadin Naib, Najibullah Zadran, Amir Hamza, Rashid Khan, Shapoor Zadran.

England: Roy, Vince, Root, Morgan (capt), Stokes, Buttler (wk), Moeen, Rashid, Willey,Jordan, Plunkett.

Jarleth Eaton: Glad to see James Vince given a chance. Absolutely smashes it in the T20 Blast! Should score runs today.

Image source, Getty Images

So, what to make of all that? Have England made the right call to leave out Reece Topley (hint, the answer is 'yes') and will Alex Hales be missed? And what about the threat of Afghanistan? I fancy them to beat someone... will it be today?

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So England turn down the chance to play three spinners, an option that was talked about at length during the build-up to this match. Hampshire left-armer Liam Dawson, the man who Trevor Bayliss hasn't seen play in a game before he was named in the squad, must wait his turn.

Afghanistan skipper Asghar Stanikzai: "We wanted to bat first. It looks a little slow, but the wicket should suit our spinners."  

Image source, AP

England captain Eoin Morgan: "We're going to have a bat first, the conditions look good - a little bit slower than the Wankhede, so in a day game we need to get a good score on the board. 

"We've two changes - Alex Hales has had a stiff back for the last two day's so he's a straight swap for James Vince, while Reece Topley misses out and Liam Plunkett comes in. 

"Just winning the game is today's priority."

Eoin Morgan wins the flick of the coin in a scorching Delhi. From behind his shades, he tells us that conditions look good, so England will bat. Two changes for England. Reece Topley, mullered by South Africa, and the injured Alex Hales are out. James Vince and Liam Plunkett are in.

Image source, AFP

Indeed, England skipper Eoin Morgan says it would be foolish to look at Afghanistan as anything other than a threat. 

"First and foremost we need to go into that game with the right mindset," said Morgan. "Focusing on anything else at the moment, given that there are two group games left, would be a little bit naive - actually stupid."

Quite Eoin, quite.

Yep, England should beat Afghanistan in Delhi today and move closer to the World T20 semis. But they also should have beaten the Netherlands. Twice.

And, going by what we've seen so far, the Afghans are a very dangerous outfit.

... lots of it.

Image source, Getty Images