In the 13th match of the ODI World Cup, England is set to face Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on October 15. The stage is set for an encounter that holds immense significance for both teams as they look to set the tone for this mega-event.
England has had a mixed start with one win and one loss in their two matches, while Afghanistan faces a challenging journey after two successive losses.
England’s title defense didn’t begin as planned, as they faced a formidable New Zealand side in their opening match.
Despite setting a competitive total of 282/9, England watched helplessly as the Kiwi duo of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra unleashed a batting masterclass, securing a resounding victory with nine wickets to spare and 13.4 overs remaining.
However, England bounced back against Bangladesh. In this encounter, England’s vintage batting prowess took center stage.
A splendid century from the elegant Dawid Malan, complemented by half-centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, propelled them to a commanding 364/9.
Reece Topley, making a significant impact after being surprisingly left out of the playing XI against New Zealand, shone with a four-wicket haul. Their comprehensive victory saw Bangladesh being restricted to 227 runs.
On the other hand, Afghanistan embarked on their World Cup campaign with a challenging clash against Bangladesh.
Despite a promising start from their openers, Afghanistan faced significant hurdles against the experienced spin-bowling duo of Shakib Al Hasan and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, ultimately being dismissed for a modest 156. Bangladesh seized the opportunity and secured a six-wicket win with a staggering 92 deliveries to spare.
Afghanistan’s struggles persisted in their next fixture, where they faced the formidable Indian team. Hashmatullah’s solid innings of 80 off 88 balls and young Azmatullah Omarzai’s impressive fifty led to a much-improved batting performance, resulting in a total of 272 runs.
However, their efforts were dwarfed by Rohit Sharma’s relentless boundary-hitting spree, culminating in a record-breaking seventh ODI World Cup century. India cruised to victory with eight wickets in hand and a substantial 15 overs to spare.
As the two teams prepare to lock horns, England is considered the overwhelming favorites. The match promises to be a significant test of both teams’ aspirations and expectations, offering a thrilling spectacle for cricket enthusiasts worldwide.
ENG vs AFG Probable XI
England: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (C, WK), Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq
