New Zealand have been unbeaten in the competition [AP]
Enjoying a successful run in the ICC World Cup 2023, New Zealand next take on resurgent Afghanistan in Match 16 of the marquee competition on Wednesday (October 18). The BlackCaps stay put in Chennai after a comprehensive victory over Bangladesh, which was their third consecutive triumph following wins against England and Netherlands.
The Afghans just raised their stature from easy pushovers to genuine darkhorse of the World Cup after achieving a landmark upset against defending champions England in Delhi. A remarkable win that came amidst the backdrop of defeats to Bangladesh and India.
NZ vs AFG: Team Previews
New Zealand
Despite their win over Bangla Tigers, New Zealand would've been bitterly disappointed with the injury to their batting legend and regular skipper Kane Williamson, who has been ruled out until late in the campaign with bruised fingers .
Williamson, who made his return in Chennai following a lengthy knee injury lay-off, played a substantial knock of 78 before being retired hurt with a blow from a throw that caused the fracture.
Williamson's injury would mean the return of the dependable Tom Latham as a stand-in captain while the promising Rachin Ravindra goes back to No.3 and paves way for Will Young's comeback at the top of the order.
New Zealand might contemplate the option of introducing wristspinner Ish Sodhi into the tournament finally on a dry surface in Chepauk. It wouldn't be a surprise, however, if they persist with the existing options, especially their pace pack to ruffle the Afghani feathers.
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Afghanistan
Afghanistan defeated England in their last game [AP]
If ever Afghanistan needed a 'pick me up', they got it with a brilliant display and memorable victory against tournament favourites England.
A drier surface in Delhi suited the spirited Afghans as they rallied to an imposing 284 all out on the back of half-centuries from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ikram Alikhil.
That's before a great performance from the famed spin trio of Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan pulled off a 69-run win.
With their spin battery in such spectacular form, the Afghans would be hoping for a similar track at Chepauk to tighten the screws on the Kiwis. Such tracks help amplify their threat with the ball and embolden their batting to withstand the BlackCaps pace attack.
NZ vs AFG: Match Details & Live Streaming
| Date | October 18, 2023 |
| Time | 2:00 PM IST |
| Venue | Chennai |
| Broadcast & Live Streaming | Star Sports, Disney+Hotstar |
NZ vs AFG: Chennai Pitch Report
Chennai has presented the trickest batting surface of the World Cup thus far. The pitch played excessively dry for the India-Australia fixture and even though it started off as a truer deck for the New Zealand-Bangladesh encounter, it eventually turned for the spinners as the afternoon progressed. One would be safe to assume it will turn at some stage during Afghans' league stage bout with the Kiwis, too, which gives the Asian rivals a greater chance to compete.
NZ vs AFG: Probable Playing XIs
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Afghanistan: 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
NZ vs AFG: Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips
| Roles | Players |
|---|---|
| Wicketkeepers | Devon Conway, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Tom Latham |
| Batters | Daryl Mitchell, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Glenn Phillips |
| Allrounders | Rachin Ravindra, Mohammad Nabi |
| Bowlers | Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Rashid Khan |
| Captain | Rashid Khan |
| Vice-captain | Rachin Ravindra |
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