West Indies and Afghanistan are set to face off at the Daren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet in their final Group C match of the T20 World Cup 2024. Both teams have already secured their spots in the Super Eight stage and will be aiming to maintain their winning momentum heading into the next phase of the tournament.
West Indies started their campaign with a narrow win over Papua New Guinea and have since improved steadily with victories over Uganda and New Zealand. Led by captain Rovman Powell, they are looking to continue their form and build momentum ahead of the tougher challenges in the Super Eight.
Afghanistan has been flawless in the tournament so far, benefiting from the favourable Caribbean conditions. They have been led by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz's impressive batting performances and pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi's effective bowling, having already made their mark with convincing wins.
Venue: Daren Sammy Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Key Players:
- West Indies: Brandon King, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell
- Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi
In T20Is, West Indies and Afghanistan have a competitive history, having played seven matches. West Indies hold a slight edge with four wins, while Afghanistan has won three. Their most recent encounter saw Afghanistan winning by 29 runs in Lucknow in 2019.
The Daren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet is known for its quality pitches, which have generally been batting-friendly in this World Cup. Teams have frequently scored 180 or more in innings, suggesting another high-scoring affair could be on the cards.
There is no threat of rain, but the conditions are expected to be windy, which could influence the game, particularly in terms of fielding and bowling strategies.
Predicted Playing XIs:
West Indies:
Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran(wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell(C), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie
Afghanistan:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan (c), Karim Janat, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Prediction:
Given Afghanistan's current form and West Indies' momentum-building, this match promises to be closely contested. However, Afghanistan's consistent performances and depth in both batting and bowling might give them a slight edge in this encounter.
Afghanistan is favoured to win based on their recent form and the balance in their squad.