Hopes of three teams ride on crucial New Zealand v Afghanistan clash
New Zealand have faced the heat this past week in the UAE – both literal and figurative. On Sunday, they will play their third match in five days, all under the afternoon sun, and in another must-win fixture against a banana-peel team in Afghanistan.
But looking at them go about their game, you wouldn't know it. They have been calm and disciplined in all facets. Rather than go all out with bat or ball, they have picked their moments and managed to flip a switch at crucial points in the contest, quickly turning the pressure onto their opponents.
In their last match of the Super 12 stage, New Zealand's ask is simple: win, and they seal a top-two spot in Group 2, thus making it to the semi-final. If they lose, their campaign is over.
The task for Afghanistan is a little more complicated: if they win, they will be equal on points with New Zealand, but will benefit from a better net run rate and thus have a greater claim to second place. However, their progress to the semis will depend on the final match of the Super 12 stage, which is India v Namibia. If Afghanistan win, it opens the door for pre-tournament favourites India to sneak into the top two.
It won't be easy for Afghanistan. The game is in Abu Dhabi, where pace, rather than spin, has played a big role. They should be wary of the New Zealand pacers, especially Trent Boult, who have been excellent in the conditions in the UAE. As it has been throughout the tournament, a lot will come down to how well they bat early on in the Powerplay.
Fixture details
- The match: New Zealand v Afghanistan, Match 40
- Time: 02:00pm, Sunday 7 November
- Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
The teams
New Zealand are unlikely to make changes to their line-up for an important game. Ish Sodhi, the leg-spinner, was struck on his head by the ball in the game against Namibia, but he has cleared concussion tests and should be available on Sunday.
Probable New Zealand XI: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (capt), Devon Conway (wk), Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchel Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult
Afghanistan have been without the injured Mujeeb Ur Rahman for the last couple of games. There is no word yet about his availability. Batter Hashmatullah Shahidi could get his first game of the tournament.
Probable Afghanistan XI: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (capt), Sharafuddin Ashraf/Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Hamid Hassan
Key players
Mujeeb Ur Rahman: India's Ravichandran Ashwin joked a few days ago that India would send their physio to make sure Mujeeb was available for this game. Blessed with variations, the spinner plays a crucial role in the Powerplay.
With New Zealand having shown a tendency to lose quick wickets at the start in a few games this tournament, Afghanistan will be keen to strike early.
Trent Boult: The Abu Dhabi deck has helped pacers with some movement, which can be exploited by someone like Trent Boult at the start. So far, he has been effective in other phases as well, as shown by the eight wickets he's picked up in four matches. "Trent's one of the greats going around," said his colleague Ish Sodhi. "He's still working on different slower balls in the nets."
Dream11 Expert Fantasy Tips
Captaincy pick - Rashid Khan
You just can't go past the Afghanistan leg-spinner as the top captaincy pick on any given day. He has a bowling strike rate of 12.1 in 55 T20Is and he is also in impressive form in the ongoing T20 World Cup. He has a phenomenal strike rate of 12.8 in the UAE, which makes him an irresistible choice in these conditions.
Must-have - Trent Boult
The New Zealand pacer is a must-have in this match given his consistency in the T20 World Cup where he has already collected eight wickets in four matches played. Boult is having an excellent calendar year 2021 overall in T20Is, picking up a wicket every 13.8 balls.
Ladder situation
If New Zealand win, they guarantee themselves a top-two finish and make it to the semi-final. If Afghanistan win, they, New Zealand and potentially India will be tied on points and net run rate will decide who finishes second.
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What they said
Ish Sodhi, New Zealand spinner: "So far in the tournament we've all had a lot of small contributions that have worked out really well for us over the past three games, especially. And we're just trying to remind ourselves what those strengths are. And we're very aware of the threat that Afghanistan bring. But if we do the basics really well and keep building on what we have been doing well we'll give ourselves a good chance.
"[Their attack is] spearheaded by Rashid Khan, and obviously Mujeeb Ur Rahman is phenomenal as well. Mohammad Nabi is a very cagey off-spinner and bowls well through the Powerplay too. That's definitely where their threat lies with their bowling attack. And I'm sure all the batsmen during the scouting meeting have taken it into consideration, as well as the threat they bring with the bat.
Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afghanistan batter: "Our spinners are really good, like especially in these conditions, Dubai. We have played a lot of cricket here and we have the benefits. But against the big teams we should bat well. Also the batsmen should take responsibility to play well against them."
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