CWC 2019: AFG v NZ – Preview & Predicted Playing XIs

Afghanistan have lost both their matches.

Venue: The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
Timings: 6 PM IST

The 13^th match of the ICC World Cup 2019 will see Afghanistan team take on New Zealand at the Taunton ground. Afghanistan lost their previous match against Sri Lanka and New Zealand are coming off a hard-fought win over Bangladesh.

The Afghanistan batsmen have shown tremendous application to give the team a good start in first ten overs, but as soon as powerplay ends, their batting seems to not know what to do with the middle 30 overs.

The batsmen go after the bowling and lose wickets and effects of T20 cricket is seen in their batting and patience is missing. The inexperience of captain Gulbadin Naib is also visible and though he gets help from Nabi and Afghan, he is struggling to get grips on the game. Now they face the tough task of facing the swing bowlers of New Zealand on a small ground, which might help them.

 The Afghanistan team has been hit with two injuries to wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad and fast bowler Dawlat Zadran. They have brought in Ikram Ali for Shahzad and possibly Aftab Alam might replace Zadran in the game against New Zealand.

New Zealand escaped narrowly against Bangladesh and now against Afghanistan have the chance to breathe easily. Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Matt Henry have been very good at getting wickets upfront and helping the team out. Batting wise, the team has been looking in good touch and given the opposition, the Kiwis will look to go in unchanged for this match.

Afghanistan Preview and Predicted Playing XI:
Ikram Ali Khil (WK), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib(C), Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan

New Zealand Preview and Predicted Playing XI:
Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson(C), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (WK), James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Trent Boult