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New Zealand will take on Afghanistan in Match 40 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
The Black Caps were dominant in their previous game against Namibia, but they know that the upcoming match will define their future in the ongoing tournament. A win here will see Kane Williamson & Co. make it through to the semi-finals, while a loss can end their campaign.
On the other hand, Afghanistan needs to win this match by a convincing margin if they have to keep their hopes of reaching the top four alive. They lost their last match to India and now have to give their best to defeat second-placed New Zealand.
Pitch report:
The ball has come nicely onto the bat, and there is some additional help for the fast bowlers. In the last match played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, West Indies posted 150+ runs, but Australia comfortably chased the set target.
Probable XIs:
New Zealand: Martin Guptill, Daryl Mitchell, Kane Williamson (c), Devon Conway (wk), Glenn Phillips, James Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Adam Milne, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Ish Sodhi
Afghanistan: Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Shahzad (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (c), Karim Janat, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq/Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Hamid Hassan
Match Prediction:
Case 1:
- NZ wins the toss and bowls first
- Powerplay score: 40-45
- AFG total: 140-150
Case 2:
- AFG wins the toss and bowls first
- Powerplay score: 30-35
- NZ total: 145-155
Team batting second to win the contest.
