An exciting clash awaits as five-time champions Australia take on Afghanistan in the 39th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.
This is a pivotal game in the race for the semi-finals. Australia are sitting 3rd while Afghanistan occupy 6th spot currently. Both teams come into this on the back of strong wins – Australia defeated England while Afghanistan thrashed the Netherlands.
The Aussies have hit top form after initial hiccups, notching five straight wins. Openers David Warner and Travis Head have been piling on big runs consistently to overwhelm opponents. Legspinner Adam Zampa is now the leading wicket-taker with 19 scalps already.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan have been the surprise package of this World Cup. After losing their first two matches, they’ve beaten Sri Lanka, England and Pakistan in a remarkable resurgence. Their talismanic spinner Rashid Khan is staking his claim as the world’s top T20 bowler.
This promises to be a thrilling battle between Australia’s batting might and Afghanistan’s spin wizardry. Both teams are packed with match-winners which ensures a close contest. But Australia’s superior experience arguably makes them favorites.
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Australia Overview
Written off after their early World Cup losses, Australia have silenced critics with a dominant run of five straight wins to sit third on the points table.
Their turnaround has been built on the back of a formidable opening pair in David Warner and Travis Head. Both have struck centuries and several fifties, regularly providing 150+ starts to overwhelm bowling attacks.
Steve Smith’s return to form has further strengthened the batting along with the belligerence of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis down the order. The bowling wears a settled look too with Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins all amongst the wickets.
The Aussies seem to have all bases covered with both batting and bowling firing. Their only concern is the backup pacer options if Starc or Cummins are injured or rested. But their first-choice XI is gelling beautifully as a unit.
With confidence sky-high now, Australia will be targeting a semi-final spot by extending their winning run to six matches. Given the form of Warner and Zampa, they have to be favorites against Afghanistan too. But they can’t underestimate the threat of Rashid Khan running through their batting.
Afghanistan Overview
Defying all expectations, Afghanistan have been the story of this World Cup thanks to their spirited performances. After losing their first two games, they scripted a remarkable turnaround beating Sri Lanka, England and Pakistan in succession.
Their talented yet unpredictable batting lineup has found consistency led by the experienced Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi. Wicketkeeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz provides explosive starts at the top.
But it’s Afghanistan’s world-class spin attack that has bamboozled opponents. Legspinner Rashid Khan already has 7 wickets and has comfortably established himself as the best T20 bowler today. Veterans Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have provided ideal support to stifle run scoring.
The pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen ul Haq have also chipped in with key strikes. Afghanistan’s bowling possesses enviable depth and variety to challenge any batting lineup.
If Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb fire in tandem again, they could halt Australia’s juggernaut too. But batting consistently against the likes of Cummins and Starc poses a mighty challenge. Still, Afghanistan should provide a stern test for the Aussies.
Australia vs. Afghanistan Starting XI
Expected Starting XI for Australia:
- David Warner, Travis Head
- Mitchell Marsh
- Steven Smith
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Josh Inglis (wk)
- Glenn Maxwell
- Pat Cummins (c)
- Mitchell Starc
- Adam Zampa
- Josh Hazlewood
Expected Starting XI for Afghanistan:
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Ibrahim Zadran
- Rahmat Shah
- Hashmatullah Shahidi (c)
- Azmatullah Omarzai
- Ikram Alikhil (wk)
- Mohammad Nabi
- Rashid Khan
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
- Naveen-ul-Haq
- Noor Ahmad
Australia are unlikely to tinker with their winning combination. All-rounder Cameron Green could replace Glenn Maxwell for the injury issue but the rest of the XI picks itself. Afghanistan will also back the same team that outclassed the Netherlands. Their rock-solid top four of Gurbaz, Zadran, Shah and Shahidi will aim to lay the platform.
The key battle will be between Afghanistan’s spin trio of Rashid, Nabi and Mujeeb against Australia’s star-studded batting lineup. How Australia counter the spinners could decide the outcome. Both teams appear evenly matched on paper. But Australia’s batting depth and balance arguably hand them the advantage going into a crunch World Cup tie.
See the confirmed starting lineups below an hour before the match starts.
Australia vs. Afghanistan Head-to-Head
Australia enjoy a dominant 3-0 head-to-head record over Afghanistan in ODI cricket. The two teams have met only thrice in 50-over cricket previously, with the Aussies victorious on all three occasions.
In World Cup clashes too, Australia lead 2-0 having beaten Afghanistan in both their 2015 and 2019 tournament encounters. Afghanistan have never crossed 207 against the Aussies in World Cup matches underlining Australia’s dominance.
Australia’s potent bowling attack kept Afghanistan’s batting lineup under check throughout all their ODI meetings. Given Australia’s superior head-to-head record and the gulf in experience between the two teams, the Kangaroos are clear favorites on paper. But Afghanistan’s spirited World Cup performances cannot be taken lightly either.
Overall, Australia have dominated Afghanistan historically and will expect to continue that trend at the World Cup. But Afghanistan are no pushovers with match-winners like Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi in their ranks.
Weather & Pitch Report
The iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will host this marquee World Cup clash between Australia and Afghanistan. Excellent weather is forecast for matchday with sunny skies and temperatures around 31-32 degrees Celcius. Humidity levels will be on the lower side around 65% and no rain is predicted throughout the day. Overall, warm and dry conditions ideal for an afternoon match await.
The Wankhede pitch historically tends to favor batting with the ball coming nicely onto the bat allowing strokeplay. True bounce and even pace enables high scoring here generally. In the four World Cup matches at the venue so far, the average first innings score is 274. All games have seen 250+ totals batted first. Spinners derive some turn later on to keep things balanced.
The shorter square boundaries also encourage aggressive batting. Dew in the evening can aid strokemaking for the chasing team. Considering Wankhede’s scoring trends, around 270 seems a par first innings total. With sunny skies forecast, fans can expect an entertaining game with the bat dominating proceedings. The three games here so far have all been high-scoring thrillers. Hopefully another run feast awaits!
Australia vs. Afghanistan Prediction
This promises to be an exciting clash but Australia appear favorities based on current form and historical dominance over Afghanistan.
The Aussie openers Warner and Head have been demolishing attacks consistently this tournament. Afghanistan’s young bowling attack will face a mighty challenge against their onslaught.
Australia also have greater experience handling the high-pressure World Cup stages compared to Afghanistan. If Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell also fire, Australia can post an imposing 300+ total at Wankhede.
However, Afghanistan have the bowling depth to challenge any batting lineup. Rashid Khan relishes bowling against aggressive batters and could run through Australia’s middle order. Support from Nabi and Mujeeb will be crucial.
In the batting department, Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi must anchor the innings and set the stage for the likes of Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nabi to launch an assault late on.
Overall, Australia appear to have more bases covered and have hit top gear at the right time. But if Rashid strikes gold, Afghanistan could easily upset their more vaunted opponents. Expect another thriller but Australia to prevail by 20-30 runs.
Australia vs. Afghanistan Betting Tips
With Wankhede traditionally high-scoring, consider betting on the first innings total over 280 runs. 300+ is also a good shout if Australia bat first. For top batters, David Warner, Travis Head and Rahmat Shah are solid picks given their excellent World Cup form.
The in-form Rashid Khan and Adam Zampa should be prime picks for top bowler. Mujeeb Ur Rahman could be a handy differential choice. Betting on Australia’s openers Warner and Head to score 50+ runs each is recommended.
With Afghanistan’s spin threat, consider betting on them to take the most wickets irrespective of who bats first. Given the dew factor, consider betting on the chasing team to win the match.
Australia’s batting firepower makes them safer favorites, but Afghanistan deserve backing at higher odds to cause an upset. For milestones, betting on Glenn Maxwell or Marcus Stoinis to hit the most sixes is a good wager.
Conversely, consider betting on Afghanistan to hit the most sixes if they bat second aided by dew. With multiple intriguing matchups, there will be several profitable betting opportunities around milestones and individual performances.
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If you want to check out our other Cricket World Cup match predictions, you can find them on our site. In the meantime, you can check out how to bet on the Cricket World Cup.
