The men in black kick off their campaign on June 8th, squaring off against Afghanistan, who are amongst the minority to have secured a convincing and dominating victory so far in the tournament.
Team Previews
New Zealand
One of the most consistent sides in the recent history of ICC tournaments, the Kiwis have consistently qualified for the Semis but have fallen short of the ultimate win in the finals. A squad whose average age is amongst the highest of the 20 participating teams, this might be the last chance for many Kiwi legends to put their hands upon a white-ball ICC championship.
Equipped with a volatile top order, New Zealand’s ultimate strength lies in its middle order. Guys such as Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell have been amongst the best 3-format players for the past 1 year, and given how the pitches are behaving, both of them might be the MVPs with the bat. Other than that, they have an experienced pace attack, along with Mitchell Santner, who is carrying the spin department.
Afghanistan
A team that has had a meteoric rise, Afghanistan found itself on the opposite ends, demolishing the dreams of an upcoming side, Uganda. Moreover, it’s time the side translates their potential into results; reaching the super 8s will be the first step. As always, they have a packed spin department, so much so that Noor Ahmed sits on the bench. Moreover, both openers, Zadran and Gurbaz, who were one of the important reasons as to why the team did well in CWC 23, looked in fine touch in their previous match. However, the middle order continues to be an area of concern.
Probable Playing XI
New Zealand: Devon Conway (wk), Finn Allen, Kane Williamson (c), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson’s
Afghanistan: Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Najibullah Zadran, Noor Ahmed, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, Naveen-ul-haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Pitch Report
Traditionally a spin minefield, Guyana has stood tall to its reputation, as evident by the three games held here during the past week. The last of them recorded the lowest run rate in any men’s T20 WC game. Expect spinners to bowl the majority of the overs, though don’t count the Pacers out, given the early movement available. All in all, one can expect yet another low-scoring thriller.
Players To Watch Out For
Glenn Phillips: One of the hottest commodities of the format, it’s baffling that Glenn Phillips didn’t get a single opportunity in the recently concluded IPL season, but he’s a certainty when it comes to the international circuit.
A hard-hitting middle-phase batter, Phillips played phenomenally well in the previous T20 WC held in Australia, and his strokeplay against the spinners will be crucial on tomorrow’s pitch. Moreover, he can also prove to be a handy part-timer, given his exploits in the longer formats.
Rashid Khan: Despite his performances taking a dip in the last few months, one can’t ignore Rashid regarding Afghanistan cricket. As economical as always, Afghanistan might look to promote him to a top 6 batting position, given the team’s consistently disappointing returns at that particular role. And there’s no need to mention how dangerous Khan can be in a used Guyana strip.
NZ vs AFG Dream11 Team for Match 14 of T20 WC 2024
Wicket Keepers: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Devon Conway (c)
Batters: Kane Williamson, Ibrahim Zadran
All-Rounders: Daryl Mitchell, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (vc)
Bowlers: Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi, Naveen ul Haq, Tim Southee
Note: This is not our final Dream11 Team as we are not aware of the Toss Result and Final Playing XI at this moment.
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