New Zealand and Afghanistan will battle out in the 16th game of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 on Wednesday, 18th October 2023 at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Let us have a look at preview of the New Zealand vs. Afghanistan match, including insights on the Pitch Conditions, the likely Playing XIs, and some Top Fantasy Picks to keep an eye on.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Match Preview
New Zealand is on a five-match winning streak and is still unbeaten in the tournament. They are currently second in the points table. New Zealand has won all three of their matches comfortably, with different players stepping up on different occasions. This is a testament to the team’s strength and depth.
New Zealand’s previous match was at Chepauk, so they are familiar with the conditions. Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell have been in good form, with Conway scoring a century in the opening match and Mitchell scoring an unbeaten 89 against Bangladesh. Kane Williamson will miss the game against Afghanistan due to the thumb injury he suffered in the last match against Bangladesh. Will Young will replace him in the playing XI.
Mitchell Santner, who has already taken 8 wickets in the tournament, could be a key player for New Zealand in their next match. He is a dangerous bowler in these conditions, especially at Chepauk that favours spinners.
Afghanistan, after their convincing victory over England, will be looking to do the same against New Zealand, the runners-up of the previous Cricket World Cup. Their spin trio played a crucial role in their victory over England, and they will be relying on them heavily again in Chennai, where the pitch is expected to be more spin-friendly.
Afghanistan’s batting has improved significantly since the previous editions of the World Cup, and they will be confident after their match against England. They will be backing themselves to show their potential against New Zealand.
Match Details
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Pitch Report
The pitch at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is traditionally spinner-friendly, meaning that it is dry, slow, and cracks up quickly, leading to low-scoring matches. Batting becomes increasingly difficult as the game progresses, so it is generally better to win the toss and choose to bat first. In the last match played at Chepauk, the pitch was hard and assisted spinners a lot, making it a low-scoring affair.
However, there was also good bounce for pacers, giving both types of bowlers an upper hand. This means that Afghanistan has a good chance of doing well in the match against New Zealand, as they have a world-class spin department. However, New Zealand also has a number of good bowlers, including pacers and spinners, so it will be an interesting match.
Overall, the pitch at Chepauk is likely to be challenging for both batsmen and bowlers. It will be important for both teams to adapt to the conditions and play smart cricket.
Ground Stats
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Probable Playing XI
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (c & wk), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Head to Head Record
ODI World Cup Games
Top Fantasy Picks
| New Zealand | Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Daryl Mitchell | Rahmanullah Gurbaz |
| Devon Conway | Ikram Alikhil |
| Kane Williamson | Mujeeb Ur Rahman |
| Rachin Ravindra | Rashid Khan |
| Mitchell Santner | Mohammad Nabi |
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Probable Match Winner
The match between New Zealand and Afghanistan is expected to be a close and exciting one, largely due to the conditions. Afghanistan will be confident of causing another upset, especially if their batsmen can perform well. However, New Zealand is the favorite to win the match, given their strong and well-balanced team.
- New Zealand’s Chance of Winning: 65%
- Afghanistan’s Chance of Winning: 35%
