Abu Dhabi, November 6
The Indian cricket team and its supporters would watch with bated breath as New Zealand take on Afghanistan their T20 World Cup match here tomorrow, for the result of this game will decide the Indain team’s fortunes in the tournament.
Defeat for Afghanistan would also end India’s faint hopes of advancing to the semifinals as it would take New Zealand to eight points in Group 2, while India can end up with a maximum of six points if they, as expected, beat Namibia on Monday.
If Afghanistan manage to turn the tables on Kane Williamson & Co., it will keep alive their slim chances of making the semifinals, and it would also boost the hopes of India. Both Afghanistan and India are currently on four points from four matches, with India marginally ahead on net run rate.
If New Zealand secure a win tomorrow, India’s final league match against Namibia will be rendered inconsequential.
Confident Kiwis
New Zealand will head into the match high on confidence after having eased to victory against Namibia on Friday. Jimmy Neesham and Glenn Phillips rose to the occasion after the top-order failed to fire and set up a challenging total, which proved too much for the Namibian batters.
The Kiwi bowlers’ experience and skills have been on show in the tournament and they would pose problems for the Afghan batters too, and they could decide the fate of Sunday’s contest.
The Afghanistan batters have come up with consistent performances, which have helped the spin-heavy bowling unit to go about their job with confidence. But they would be up against an attack that includes Trent Boult, Tim Southee and the pacy Adam Milne, apart from spinners Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner, who have troubled the batters right through the tourney.
If the Afghan batters can put up a sizeable score, then the bowling unit with Rashid Khan at the forefront could trouble New Zealand. The absence of Mujeeb-ur-Rahman owing to injury weakens the bowling department but given the Kiwi batters’ struggles against spin, a huge task awaits them.
How the New Zealand batters handle the middle overs when star spinner Rashid Khan would be in operation could prove critical. A good start by the powerful Martin Guptill and Daryl Mitchell would be important for New Zealand, as also skipper Williamson’s contribution.
As New Zealand and Afghanistan battle it out in Abu Dhabi, the Indian team in Dubai and its fans will be praying that the fellow Asian nation would do them a favour by scripting a memorable victory. — PTI
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