Chennai, Feb 8 Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first against New Zealand in the fourth match of the T20 World Cup here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
In the 2024 T20 World Cup, Afghanistan stunned New Zealand, winning by 84 runs in Guyana and securing their place in the semi-finals, while New Zealand suffered a shock early exit. The clash has generated significant anticipation, particularly with Group D being labelled the "group of death" alongside South Africa, making every result crucial.
New Zealand will be eager to bounce back after their recent 4-1 T20I series loss to India, which raised concerns due to player injuries and illness. However, their prior experience in India could help them adjust to the conditions, and with a solid batting lineup and strong fast bowlers, they’re expected to put up a strong challenge.
On the other hand, Afghanistan enter the match with a confident momentum, having won six consecutive matches before a loss to the West Indies. Their spin-heavy attack, likely to thrive in favourable conditions, gives them a strong edge, making them the potential favourites for this match.
Winning the toss, Afghan skipper Rashid Khan said, “We will bat first. First game for us, fresh wicket, put runs on the boards and I think there will be more help for our spinners later on. We have much experience, have players who've played all around the globe, and we're fully ready for it. Myself, Mujeeb and Nabi, the three spinners, but think there'll be help for the pacers as well. We'll have to bat well and then set it up for the bowlers. We have three pacers as well.”
Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said, “We were thinking about it, some grass here, not much in Chennai. We've had a series against India, travelled all around the country, then spent some time in Mumbai and we're here. Everyone are up, which is nice - we were struggling with some of our personnel. Ish Sodhi, Bracewell, Conway and Jamieson miss out.”
Playing XIs:
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman Sharifi
New Zealand: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy
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