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South Africa will take on AFG on Friday [AP]
Striving for a quick recovery from the most painstaking defeat at the hands of Australia, Afghanistan now re-enter the battleground in Ahmedabad for another must-win clash of the ICC World Cup 2023 against South Africa on Friday (November 10).
The spirited Afghans, who have enjoyed a fairytale run at the marquee tournament with remarkable wins over England and Pakistan apart from the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, nearly upstaged the mighty Australians in Mumbai in their last match until Glenn Maxwell's incredible knock flattened them.
Despite a near-miss defeat at Wankhede, they still stand a chance to secure a maiden World Cup semifinal appearance. However, they must now script a handsome victory over the in-form Proteas while hoping other results align with their desires.
The South Africans would also approach this game with vengeance after being brought down to earth from their smooth sailing by the Indian juggernaut in Kolkata. With their place in the semis confirmed the Proteas would love to suppress the Afghanistan side and finish higher in the top 4 to avoid a rematch against India.
SA vs AFG: Team Previews
South Africa
For the Proteas, all that could've gotten wrong against the Indians did at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. On a dry surface, they conceded a decisive score of 326 after their seamers failed to provide early breakthroughs and their spinners couldn't exercise any control. They were then skittled out for just 83 in a disastrous batting performance that reinforced the quality of the Indian attack.
Temba Bavuma & company would've felt a reality check after enjoying a tremendous run of games and carrying the title contenders' tag. However, Bavuma would've reminded his troops they would rather reserve their worst game for the league stage than the knock-outs and that with a place in the semis confirmed, they must be able to play with utmost freedom against Afghanistan.
The Proteas might also undergo a pair of changes for this one and potentially bring in an extra pace option in Gerald Coetzee for left-arm wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, who was highly expensive against India. There might be a consideration to rest Lungi Ngidi after he hurt himself in the field in Kolkata and replace him with Lizaad Williams.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan lost vs Australia in their last game [AP]
Overcoming the Maxwell assault mentally and being able to bring their 'A' game to the fore again will be Afghanistan's biggest challenge in Ahmedabad. A defeat like that could sting for months, let alone days, as you can't help but feel hard done by life when a comprehensive victory is snatched out of your hands by individual brilliance.
Hashmatullah Shahidi's men, however, have no option but to re-enter the field with their spirits high and hopes of securing a knock-out spot intact, especially with another litmus test of their resolve and depth awaiting in the South Africans, who are likely to challenge them with steep bounce and a hint of lateral movement that the new venue in Ahmedabad offers to quicks.
Afghanistan might reconsider their plans and playing combination for this match-up. While historically, the Proteas' spin struggles would compel them to continue with an extra spinner; they might bench Noor Ahmad and bring back third seamer Fazhalhaq Farooqi after taking lessons from the Maxwell assault where two much of one-dimensional bowling perhaps made it easier for the Australian aggressor.
SA vs AFG: Match Details & Live Streaming
| Date | November 10, 2023 |
| Venue | Ahmedabad |
| Time | 2:00 PM IST |
| Broadcast & Live Streaming | Star Sports, Disney+Hotstar |
SA vs AFG: Ahmedabad Pitch Report
The pitch at Ahmedabad's new venue happens to be one of the more balanced ones in India, with the spinners finding grip off the turf while seamers relishing the pace and the slight movement on offer.
The bounce is true, which allows stroke-makers to execute their downswings without hesitation. On such a pitch, the Afghans would require a super effort to withstand the rounded and experienced Proteas side.
SA vs AFG: Probable Playing XIs
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Lizaad Williams
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazhalhaq Farooqui, Naveen-ul-Haq
SA vs AFG: Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips
| Roles | Players |
|---|---|
| Wicketkeepers | Quinton de Kock, Rahmatullah Gurbaz |
| Batters | Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Heinrich Klaasen, Rassie van der Dussen |
| Allrounders | Marco Jansen, Azmat Omarzai |
| Bowlers | Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Naveen-Ul-Haq |
| Captain | Quinton de Kock |
| Vice-captain | Azmatullah Omarzai |
SA vs AFG: Winner Prediction
Despite contrasting performance in their last match, South Africa pose a significantly stronger outlook over Afghanistan heading into the next World Cup clash. Expect the Proteas to regain their winning ways and crash Afghanistan from the knock-outs race.
 "Kashish Chadha")
