It was only four days ago that Will Young was scrambling around the boundary ropes at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. He was New Zealand’s designated drinks-bearer alongside Chris Donaldson, the Strength & Conditioning coach, on a warm evening in Chennai. It was only four days ago that Tom Latham was back behind the wickets without feeling obligated to speak to the bowlers. It’s something he’s admitted to finding difficult because he’s positioned so far off from the bowling end; and not being the captain for once made things a little bit easier for him in the middle.
But four days can be a long time in cricket. Come the match-day against Afghanistan, Will Young won’t be tailgating Donaldson on the edge of the boundary. He’d be in the middle, batting and fielding, having come in for Kane Williamson who had no sooner recovered than the thumb broke. Tom Latham would no longer be able to abstain from conversations around the fields. He’d have to walk to the bowler to discuss plans and fields.
Not that either Young or Latham would mind it. Playing for the country is a huge privilege, let alone captaining it but the circumstances have been such for New Zealand that crises have come on a conveyor belt. Luckily though, there can only be so many of them. Is Kane Williamson injured again? Here, bring Will Young who’d just made way. Here, give this captaincy hat back to Latham who had just taken it off. It seems like New Zealand have had an answer to everything this World Cup but what they are coming up next can be a different kettle of fish altogether.
Afghanistan have arrived in Chennai not as also-rans but as bit of a lion-tamer. Just the other day, they ran rings around England, totally outplaying a team that’s set the pace of ODIs for the better part of a decade now and has come in this edition to do some of the same, if not “defend” anything. The pitch here in Chennai is going to be an accomplice again and nothing less than more wins is going to do it for them. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi has already promised “more positive cricket” and how New Zealand’s perfect streak rifles through a reinvigorated opposition, and in conditions favorable to the latter, will make for a very watchable battle.
When: New Zealand vs Afghanistan, 18 October 2023, at 2:00 PM IST
Where: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
What to expect: A good crowd first of all. Afghanistan’s games have been well-attended so far and expect more of the same for this match that follows the highs of beating England.
It will be a new surface for this game, pitch #6 to be particular, which is again expected to hold up better than the India-Australia game and will bring short and long boundaries into play.
It’s set to be a typically hot day in Chennai, with highs of 32 degrees which will feel more like 38. Both the World Cup games so far here have been won by sides batting second but that said, it wasn’t such an easy run-chase for New Zealand the last time around with little or no dew in attendance.
Team Watch
New Zealand
With Kane Williamson unavailable owing to an “undisplaced fracture” in his left thumb, Will Young will slot right back in his place. Tim Southee is fit and waiting on the sidelines but there’s little reason to rotate the bowlers in this match, given the ample rest in the lead-up.
Tactics & Strategy
Afghanistan’s win the other night was built on a century opening stand between Ibrahim Zadran & Rahmanullah Gurbaz. It was the third century stand between the pair in ODIs this year, behind only India’s Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma. But both the openers are susceptible against left-arm quicks; they have each been dismissed four times since the start of 2021 and score their runs at far less than run-a-ball. That makes Trent Boult a key bowler to survive against.
Probable XI: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(c/w), Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult
Afghanistan
Barring last-minute injuries, Afghanistan are expected to play the same team that got them over the line against England in Delhi. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, their leading run-getter this tournament, copped a demerit point for slamming his bat on the boundary rope and a chair after his dismissal in the last game but since it was his first offence in a 24-month period, he’s not an immediate risk for suspension.
Tactics & Strategy
Against England, Mohammad Nabi dismissed two left-handers. New Zealand could possibly feature five left-handers in their top eight, making Nabi a crucial bowler in the scheme of things.
Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil(w), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Did you know?
– New Zealand have won both their World Cup encounters against Afghanistan so far. The last time these two sides met in WC in Taunton in 2019, Ferguson picked up 4/37.
– Afghanistan ended a 14-match losing streak in World Cups by beating England
– New Zealand are unbeaten in the last six completed ODIs in Asia. One of those games was played in Pakistan, two in Bangladesh and three in India.
