AFG vs NZ playing 11:
At the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, Afghanistan was expected to provide a challenge for some of the teams, but they struggled to get going. They lost two games in a row to start. They suffered appalling losses to Bangladesh and India. Then, though, they rose to their feet and made history.
In Delhi, Afghanistan defeated the reigning champions England to demonstrate that they were in Delhi to compete rather than merely to play. At Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium, they now have another opportunity to punish New Zealand. The spinners benefit greatly from that pitch, and Afghanistan has an excellent spin trio. So let’s look at the anticipated Afghanistan starting XI in Chennai.
Let’s have a look at the Afghanistan Playing XI Against New Zealand in Match No. 16, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023:
The playing 11 NZ vs AFG is as follows:
Openers:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Afghanistan’s top batter in recent years, has maintained his form throughout this competition. His 57-ball 80 versus England enabled his team to get off to a fast start and eventually post a respectable total. Gurbaz, who has 148 runs in three innings and can take on Kiwi bowlers during the power play, will get Afghanistan going if he can provide a strong start.
Ibrahim Zadran:
Ibrahim Zadran is another capable opener for Afghanistan, much like Gurbaz. How well these two handle the business will have a big impact. Zadran takes some time to prepare before playing a huge inning to send the opposition packing. If he does what he does best and gives his team a strong start, they will appreciate it.
Middle Order and All-rounders:
Rahmat Shah:
Rahmat Shah has had trouble scoring runs thus far in this tournament, totaling just 37 in three games. He can, however, pitch some impactful innings that can alter the game’s outcome. He will be required to bat long if some wickets fall early, but his versatility as a hitter also allows him to rotate his strike against spinners in the middle overs.
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c):
Hashmatullah Shahidi, the captain of Afghanistan, made 80 runs and received crucial runs against India. He can play a game-changing inning in the middle and is expected to do well because he is the captain. On Chennai’s low-scoring pitch, his 50–60 runs can make a significant difference, and that is when his experience could make him dangerous.
Mohammad Nabi:
Afghanistan will depend on Mohammad Nabi in both of these areas. He struggled with the bat, as was evident in the match against England, but he took two crucial wickets with the ball. Nabi is a match-winner in both categories, so Afghanistan will be hoping that he can make a difference in Chennai and give his team an advantage.
Ikram Alikhil (wk):
Ikram Alikhil made his tournament debut against England and contributed a crucial inning. When wickets were falling from the other end, he struck 58 off 66. He assisted them in achieving a respectable total. His confidence will grow as a result of that performance, and he can succeed against New Zealand in Chennai.
Azmatullah Omarzai:
In three games, Azmatullah Omarzai has 103 runs scored and one wicket taken. He is a very valuable all-rounder who can bat in any position and bowl some crucial middle-order overs. He will be attempting to score some runs during the contest that could ultimately be the deciding factor.
Rashid Khan:
The one to be on the lookout for is Rashid Khan. He took 3/37 in the most recent game against England, demonstrating why he is so highly regarded. His spell on the batting pitch altered the course of the match and eliminated England. Rashid has the potential to shift the course of the match in Chennai, and New Zealand should be concerned.
Bowlers:
Mujeeb Ur Rahman:
Following his outstanding spell of 3/51 against England, Mujeeb Ur Rahman was named man of the match. Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Chris Woakes were fired, and he prevented England from getting close to the goal. Mujeeb can undoubtedly pose a threat to New Zealand in Chennai because they have a top-ranked batter who is in good form.
Naveen-Ul-Haq:
Naveen-ul-Haq is another intelligent bowler in this team who, on Chennai’s slow surface, can be fairly effective with both change-ups and slower deliveries. Naveen has performed brilliantly thus far for Afghanistan while hardly ever playing. By preventing them from scoring runs in the middle, he may put pressure on Kiwi batters.
Fazalhaq Farooqi:
The first breakthrough for Afghanistan against England came from Fazalhaq Farooqi, who also caused havoc for the batters with his swing. The batters find it challenging to choose him because of his left-arm angle, and he can swing the ball both ways. He can toss a strong spell to trouble the best hitters because he is in fantastic form.
AFG vs NZ playing 11 today: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
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