FANTASY PREVIEW
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Afghanistan - L L W W W
Australia - W W W W W
Head to Head
Australia 1-0
The only meeting between the two sides was in the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia, where the hosts edged Afghanistan by 4 runs
Venue Details
Arnos Vale Ground, Kingstown, St Vincent
Average first innings score: 126 (three non rain-affected games in this T20WC)
Bat first / Bat second split: Teams batting first have won all three games at this venue in this T20WC
Highest second-innings scores at the venue (in this T20WC): 134/8 (NED vs BAN), 114/7 (NEP vs SA), 85 all-out (NEP vs BAN)
Pace vs spin split: Average 17.3 vs 13.5, Economy 5.8 vs 5.7, Percentage of wickets 54.5% vs 45.5%
Weather conditions
We’ve seen three full games in St Vincent so far in this T20WC, but there is a slight rain threat for the clash between Australia and Afghanistan on June 22 (Saturday). Heavy rains are expected during the morning but what will bother the two sides is that constant showers are predicted for the evening as well. In that case, we could end up getting a frustrating, start-stop contest. But that being said, a washout seems pretty unlikely.
Players to watch out for
Adam Zampa: Adam Zampa is once again proving to be Australia’s most important player in a white-ball tournament. The leggie is currently the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition with 11 scalps to his name. He has taken at least two wickets in five of his last seven T20Is and is currently in the midst of a 15-game wicket-taking streak (a joint record) in T20 World Cups. He could easily end up breaking the back of an Afghanistan batting line-up that is too reliant on the two openers up top.
Fazalhaq Farooqi: That Zampa is not the highest wicket-taker in the competition is due to Farooqi, who is in the midst of one of the craziest campaigns of all time, having taken 15 wickets in five games. If Afghanistan are to beat Australia and stay alive in this T20WC, they will need to strike heavily up front. Luckily, they have just the right man for it: Farooqi has taken more powerplay wickets (8) than any other bowler in this T20WC so far.
Josh Hazlewood: Hazlewood has slipped under the radar but he’s quietly been having a superb tournament, having bowled 16 overs and registered an economy of 5.8. This economy rate comes down to 4.8 in the powerplay. Considering the trouble Jasprit Bumrah’s consistency (and seam movement) caused the Afghan batters a couple of days ago, Hazlewood might very well prove to be the Aussies’ biggest weapon in St. Vincent, even on a spin-friendly track.
Key Battles
Fazalhaq Farooqi vs David Warner and Travis Head
Look no further. This is the most decisive battle of this particular clash. Farooqi has been on a tear in this T20WC, but so have Warner and Head. Australia have the best powerplay strike rate in this T20WC among all teams (157.3) and have killed the two big games they’ve played (vs England and Bangladesh) both inside the first six overs.
If the in-form Farooqi does not manage to get both these players out early, the game could slip out of Afghanistan’s hands very, very quickly.
It’s the battle of the best powerplay batter in this T20WC (Warner, 175 SR) and the best powerplay bowler in this T20WC (Farooqi, 9.0 SR).
Cricket.com’s suggested Fantasy XI
Probable playing XI
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Gulbadin Naib, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Australia: David Warner, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
Streaming and Telecast details
The match will begin at 6 AM IST (June 23) and be streamed and telecasted on Disney+ Hotstar and Star Sports.
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