Afghanistan vs New Zealand: Preview, pitch report and TV listing
What's the story
The ICC World Cup 2019 is on in full swing as match number 13 sees Afghanistan taking on New Zealand at The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton on Saturday. Being a clash between the table-toppers and the bottom-ranked team, it would be interesting to see if Afghanistan can pull off a surprise win. Meanwhile, here is the preview for this tie.
Last match
Kiwis win against Bangladesh but show their vulnerabilities
Afghanistan are coming off an unfortunate loss to Sri Lanka. Even though, they put in a commendable shift, Afghans couldn't overcome Lankans. As for New Zealand, they scripted a win against Bangladesh. However, the fragility of the lower middle-order was on display. The Afghan spin trio would look to target this vulnerability. The Kiwis enter as clear favorites.
Team news
Nabi, Ross Taylor and Matt Henry to watch out for
Afghanistan's veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was their star in the last game, claiming 4/30, and putting him once again in the spotlight. Further, star spinner Rashid Khan would look to weave his magic. From New Zealand, Ross Taylor did well with the bat, while pacer Matt Henry's 4/47 stole the limelight, as he would look to script another match-winning performance.
Information
New Zealand have clashed once with Afghans
As far as the World Cup is concerned, both have faced each other once, as New Zealand had reigned supreme in that match. Incidentally, it was also their only ODI clash to date.
Pitch report
A high-scoring track awaits the fans
This is the first ODI that will be held on this ground since the 1999 World Cup. Also, this would be the first day-night match at this venue. Overall, the ground has hosted just three ODIs to date, and all of them have been high-scoring. Thus, chances are it would again be the same, while teams would look to bat first.
Predicted XI
Here's the predicted XI for both the sides
Afghanistan: Mohammad Shahzad (wicket-keeper), Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib (captain), Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan. New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (captain), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (wicket-keeper), James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.
Match details
When, where and how to watch?
Match: Afghanistan vs New Zealand Venue: The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton Time: 6:00 PM IST Where to watch (TV): Star Sports 1, 2, Select 1 and other regional languages channels of Star Sports. Where to watch (Online): Hotstar