Afghanistan has made an excellent start to their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign. After defeating Uganda in the first round, they inflicted a crushing blow on New Zealand and are now in a strong position to make the Super Eight.
Afghanistan competed in the previous edition of the Super 12 in 2022 but failed to win a single game, losing three and having the other two rained out. Their openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Ibrahim Zadran, have contributed significantly to their success this year. They added 154 against Uganda and 103 against New Zealand, with Gurbaz scoring 50s in both games.
The flip side is that the middle order has not spent enough time in the center. It may damage them, as it nearly did when they went 6 for 55 following their first stand against New Zealand.
Golden Chances For Afghanistan To Qualify
It might be the Achilles’ heel of Afghanistan against the nearly-men PNG. They have yet to win a match, but defending 136 in their first game put the West Indies under pressure. In their second match, they had Uganda work hard for a score of 78.
The tired circumstances in Tarouba may level the playing field, despite Afghanistan’s expertise in certain areas. PNG’s bevy of medium-pacers and spinners will aim to create an impression at the Brian Lara Stadium.
And the squad will have a lot of New Zealand supporters rooting for them, given their chances of making the Super Eight depend on, among other things, PNG defeating Afghanistan.
Ibrahim Zadran’s steady performances over the previous two years have firmly established him at the top of the batting order in all formats. He has proven to be the ideal foil for Gurbaz, boosting both his range of strokes and his T20I strike rate (117.91 in 2024, up from 102.91 in 2023).
This meant that the scoreboard did not come to a halt while Gurbaz was not on strike.
Afghanistan’s likely XI: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Azmatullah Omarzai, 4 Gulbadin Naib 5. Najibullah Zadran, 6 Mohammad Nabi, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (captain), 9 Noor Ahmad or Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi
Mujeeb Ur Rahman missed the last game due to a hand injury. If healthy, he might replace Noor Ahmad, who bowled only one over against New Zealand.
PNG’s likely XI: 1 Assad Vala (captain), 2 Tony Ura, 3 Sese Bau, 4 Lega Siaka. 5 Hiri Hiri 6. Charles Amini, 7. Kiplin Doriga (week), 8. Chad Soper, 9. Norman Vanua, 10 Alei Nao; 11 John Kariko.
Statistics and Pitch Condition
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Sese Bau needs 54 runs to become the fourth PNG player to reach 1000 in T20Is. No starting combo has scored more runs in T20Is than Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz in 2024. Rashid Khan and John Kariko are the second and fifth most economical T20I bowlers, having bowled at least 50 overs since January 2023.
During the encounter between the West Indies and New Zealand, the Tarouba surface lived up to its reputation as slow. Because of the rain in the lead-up to the match.
However, numerous deliveries from the good-length region outside off stump were maintained dangerously low. This made it difficult to hit through the line. There is no rain in the forecast (though this might change), but the captain who wins the toss is likely to bowl first due to the dampness.
About the Author
Zartash Zulfiqar is a passionate cricket writer whose love for cricket shines through in every word. From match analyses to player profiles, she delivers insightful commentary that resonates with fans worldwide. Stay tuned for the latest from the world of cricket, brought to you by Zartash.
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