Afghanistan’s start to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 hasn’t gone as they would’ve hoped. After two matches, they find themselves at the bottom of the table, having lost their first game to Bangladesh by six wickets and then suffering an eight-wicket defeat to India in Delhi. Their upcoming match against England, the defending champions, at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium will pose them the significant challenge of trying to contain the English batters.
Reece Topley, who missed the first game of the tournament, replaced Moeen Ali and proved himself a crucial asset to England’s World Cup campaign. Topley’s left-arm pace fetched him 4-43 and contributed in no small measure to Bangladesh being dismissed for just 227. Mark Wood, too, regained his form, delivering an exceptional performance with 1-29 from his 10 overs.
England’s magnificent display with the ball resulted in a commanding 137-run victory, instilling confidence as they progress further in the tournament. Keeping a keen eye on key bowlers like Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid will be essential. England’s downfall in their match against New Zealand was largely due to poor shot selection, leading to wickets being lost in clutches and a lack of substantial partnerships. However, Dawid Malan’s century and half-centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root in the top three positions changed the narrative against Bangladesh.
Their batting lineup boasts considerable depth and quality finishers in the lower middle order, and England will be heavily favoured to make it two wins out from three games.
Despite being outplayed by India in the second half of their match, the Afghanistan squad assembled by coach Jonathan Trott is widely considered their strongest. Fortunately, there are no injuries in the team ahead of this crucial clash.
Although Hashmatullah Shahidi and Azmatullah Omarzai performed admirably, they couldn’t guide Afghanistan to the 300-run mark. The team’s reliance on boundaries, and excessive dot balls, on an exceptionally flat Delhi pitch raised concerns regarding their scoring approach.
Another area requiring improvement is Afghanistan’s pace department, which has yet to make a significant impact in the tournament. Overall, the team shows promise but has yet to leave an imprint on this competition.
Time and Venue Details
October 15 from 14:00 IST. Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi
Expected conditions
The weather in Delhi is anticipated to be warm with clear skies and no rain in sight. While historically not favoring batters, the pitch in this tournament appears to be a batting paradise. Expect plenty of runs in both innings.
During the second innings, under the lights, the ball may move around a little, especially for the new-ball bowlers.
Probable Playing XIs
Ben Stokes’ availability remains uncertain, but if he is fit, he’s expected to replace Harry Brook.
England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, is likely to stick to the same combination they used against India.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Match-ups
Reece Topley vs Ibrahim Zadran
Topley’s recent standout performance against Bangladesh has certainly boosted his confidence as he approaches this game. His ability to snatch early wickets during the powerplay phase will pose a significant challenge for Zadran. His performance in this World Cup has been less than stellar, adding to the pressure he’ll be under.
Rashid Khan vs Jos Buttler
Buttler has continually honed his skills against spinners, yet his past encounters with Rashid in white-ball cricket have often seen him struggle against the wily leg-spinner.