Afghanistan are a team that deserve appreciation from the cricket world. They have shown their potential by defeating England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Sri Lanka faced a crushing seven-wicket defeat from Afghanistan in their last match. (Match Blog | Streaming | Scorecard | Full Coverage)
The Afghans are ready to test their luck in the race for the semi-finals. Wins in their remaining three matches will bring the magic last-four ticket to the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led team.
The Netherlands are also still in contention for the semi-finals, but only just. With their performance in the last match against Bangladesh, they have warned Afghanistan that it will not be easy for them as well this time. Given the turns and twists in the tournament so far, it is better to expect the unexpected in the match.
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The Netherlands beat Bangladesh by 87 runs and previously defeated South Africa as well. Scott Edwards is leading the team nicely and they will be clashing with Afghanistan on Friday in Lucknow.
Here are three key battles that could alter the complexion of the AFG vs NED game:
Hashmatullah Shahidi Vs Bas de Leede
Hashmatullah Shahidi, the captain of Afghanistan, is putting up a consistent show in the tournament. He has scored 226 runs in six games, which have played a crucial role in his team’s wins. He will be facing a stiff challenge from right-arm fast-medium bowler Bas de Leede on Friday. De Leede has taken 11 wickets so far in the World cup and has the ability to make the crucial breakthroughs for his team.
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Rahmanullah Gurbaz Vs Paul Van Meekeren
Another key battle in the game will be between Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Paul van Meekeren. On one hand is Gurbaz, who has scored 224 runs and has the ability to play longer innings without taking undue risks. On the other hand, is right-arm fast-medium bowler Meekeren, who has done a solid job for his team, scalping four wickets in their last match against Bangladesh. Their face-off could decide which team goes ahead in the contest.
Scott Edwards Vs Fazalhaq Farooqi
Dutch captain Scott Edwards will be playing with the hope for his team to make a place in the semi-finals. In his last innings, he scored a handy 68 runs against Bangladesh. But it will not be easy against left-arm fast-medium bowler Fazalhaq Farooqi, who will be on the hunt against Edwards. Farooqi’s spirits are high after taking four crucial wickets in the last match against Sri Lanka. His battle with Edwards is likely to be an intriguing one.
