At the Ekanna Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, the Netherlands will play Afghanistan in a match that they absolutely must win. It will be their second meeting at this location. The Dutch defeated Sri Lanka by scoring 262 runs when they batted first in their prior encounter here.
Considering that the Netherlands were six down for ninety-one runs, it was an impressive performance. Captain Scott Edwards will be quite concerned going into this game because of the uneven hitting.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, is getting better at batting as they continue to gain strength. Afghanistan chased down 283 against Pakistan after losing by 149 runs, and they then defeated Sri Lanka by 7 wickets when chasing a target of 242 runs.
The Lucknow pitch presents some exciting news for the bowlers as the two sides now square up in a match that they must win to survive in the race to the semi-finals. Given their recent batting history, Afghanistan has a tiny advantage to begin with in this close match between the two teams.
The Netherlands will be up against a formidable opponent in Lucknow, the same ground where they collapsed badly in the batting match against Australia. The opposition will be buoyant after consecutive victories against elite teams and boasts a strong bowling attack.
To create the stage for a thrilling end, the top four batsmen for the Netherlands must thus recover their form and forge some vital partnerships. They can’t keep expecting the lower order to come to their aid repeatedly.
Max O’Dowd and Vikramjit Singh must lead the squad to the first fifty runs scored and play through at least the first powerplay. The Dutch benefited greatly from starting Wesley Barresi at number three in their previous game, and everyone will be watching him in this one as well.
With players like Colin Ackerman, captain Scott Edwards, and all-rounder Bas de Leede, the middle order is extremely potent. Even though Edwards scored 68 runs in their most recent game against Bangladesh, none of the middle-order hitters have shown consistency.
With fifty runs apiece at seven and eight in their match against Sri Lanka, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Logan van Beek were instrumental in the team’s comeback. This demonstrates the batting lineup’s enormous potential.
They are currently having trouble being consistent, though, and that will be a big problem coming into this game. Their ability to bowl will be crucial to their success in Lucknow as they just defeated Bangladesh.
The three bowlers to watch out for are Paul van Meekeren, Colin Ackerman, and Bas de Leede.
Netherlands Predicted XI:
The following people: Paul van Meekeren, Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Logan van Beek, Shariz Ahmad, Aryan Dutt, Max ODowd, Wesley Barresi, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c & wk),
Afghanistan is dominating England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the World Cup, all of which were previous champions. They have never won two straight games at a World Cup before.
Their batting has been the most impressive aspect of their season. Afghanistan lost badly to New Zealand following their victory over England. They chased 289 runs before being knocked out for 139.
The opening pair against Pakistan in the very following match struck a 130-run partnership as they pursued 283 runs. The top three batters scored fifty runs apiece, giving Afghanistan an 8-wicket victory.
In the subsequent encounter, Afghanistan defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets thanks to fifty-score contributions from numbers three, four, and five. Rahmat Shah, who is ranked third, has been quite effective with two straight fifties.
Afghanistan now have a fantastic option at number five after Azmatullah Omarzai struck a brilliant blow in the final game. Afghanistan’s batting appears to be in excellent health right now.
As a result of Ikram Alikhil’s injury in the previous game, Najibullah Zadran might be substituted. It won’t be easy to bat here, so Afghanistan should be prepared to adjust to the conditions in Lucknow.
The pitch provides bowlers with much of help, and pacers have been dominating the game in recent games. Along with the spinners, Fazhalhaq Farooqi, Naveen Ul Haq, and Omarzai will be important players with the ball.
Afghanistan Predicted XI:
Muhammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi
This pitch is well-balanced, providing assistance to both bowlers and hitters. But in the last several games, the pacers were so good that hitters had a hard time scoring runs. India even managed to hold off England on this pitch, scoring just 229 runs. There will be a high of 32 degrees Celsius and largely cloudy skies.
This match will take place in Lucknow at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. This World Cup match will be the final one that it has hosted thus far. The first-batting team should aim for a score of more than 260–270 runs to win the match, as the average first-inning total in this instance is 229 runs. With both teams’ potent bowling attacks, such a total can be highly competitive.
Toss: To Bowl
Of the 13 ODIs held at this Lucknow location, teams that bowl first have won nine of them. Afghanistan should want to bowl first in this match as they have effectively pursued a target in their last two matches thanks to a potent bowling assault. Given their present form, Netherlands would prefer support their bowlers, who appear promising following their recent victory, than take the chance of batting first.
In every facet of the game, both clubs appear to have a lot of potential. But the Netherlands are less dependable against an Afghanistan that is in form due to their inconsistent play. In this game, the toss can be quite important, and the side bowling first can get off to a head start. However, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of both sides, we believe Afghanistan will have a minor advantage in this encounter and will begin as favorites.
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