Chennai, October 17
Afghanistan’s upset win over defending champions England has given the side a new stature and New Zealand wouldn’t dare underestimate Hashmatullah Shahidi’s side when they clash in their World Cup match here tomorrow.
While the Kiwis would look to keep their unbeaten run going in the tournament, Afghanistan, who shocked England by 69 runs, would be keen to create another big upset and put their campaign back on track.
The Kiwis will rely heavily on their top-order comprising Will Young, Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell, while all-rounder Rachin Ravindra, with his impactful performances across departments, will also be the player to watch.
With the meeting happening at the Chepauk, where the pitch has traditionally assisted spinners, New Zealand will have their hands full when they take on the trio of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi. Rashid and Nabi accounted for five England wickets. As for Afghanistan’s batting line-up, opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz is the man in form, having scored fifties in two matches so far, while the likes of skipper Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai and Ikram Alikhil could come in handy as we
