New Zealand vs Afghanistan : New Zealand are one of the two teams in the tournament that have not yet lost a match so far. They are at number 2 on the points table (after India) with 3 wins in 3 matches and a net run rate (NRR) of +1.604. On the other hand, Afghanistan are coming to this match with a massive win against England.
In the first upset of the ICC World Cup 2023, they beat the defending world champions by 69 runs. They have jumped to the sixth spot on the points table.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan head-to-head records
New Zealand have played 2 ODIs so far against Afghanistan, and both games took place in past World Cups. in 2019, the Kiwis defeated the Afghans by 7 wickets whereas they 6 wickets in 2015. However, they will face a completely-different Afghan side this year. The team led by Hashmatullah Shahidi has many star players this time, including Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan fantasy team
Devon Conway, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Will Young, Rahmat Shah, Daryl Mitchell (C), Mohammad Nabi, Mitchell Santner, Rashid Khan (VC), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Lockie Ferguson and Trent Boult.
Also Read: The Dutch delight against South Africa is second biggest upset in World Cup history
New Zealand vs Afghanistan pitch report
The MA Chidambaram Stadium is well-known for its distinguishing features. Batters who settle down can expect to score a lot of runs, but they must be cautious of spin bowlers. Hard-hitting hitters may find the comparatively slow pace of the wicket to be an added challenge.
The average first-innings score at this venue is 232. Historically, the team batting first has had the upper hand, winning 14 of the 25 games. Nonetheless, the trend in the ongoing World Cup has evolved. Teams that batted second won both matches conducted here, convincingly chasing down scores of 200 and 246.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan weather
In Chennai, the humidity will go as high as 84%, with the highest temperature touching 32 degrees. There is little chance of rain, as per Weather.com.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan: Prediction
As per Google’s win probability, there is a 74% chance that New Zealand will be victorious in this match. However, Afghanistan’s chances must have improved after the win against England.
As per CricTracker, the toss will be critical as whoever bowls first will win the match. Yes, it gives due credit to Afghan batters’ ability to chase and win it for their team. Khel Now believes New Zealand will secure a “hard-fought win”. With Kane Williamson out of the tournament due to a thumb fracture, we believe the Black Caps may struggle against the confident Afghanistan team. Therefore, we are expecting another upset, giving an advantage to Afghanistan.