🏏Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #34: Netherlands vs Afghanistan 🏏

Today's match features equals of varying skill levels; we should anticipate a strong contest in order to maintain their momentum and gain more experience in the ongoing World Cup.

🏏Cricket World Cup 2023: Match #34:  Netherlands vs Afghanistan 🏏

Afghanistan face Netherlands in Match 34 of the Cricket World Cup 2023 today. 

Both the teams are still afloat in the tournament. The two teams will be aiming for a win to continue their quest to reach the semi-finals of the tournament. 

But they will also be looking to finish in the top 8 at the end of the league stage, as that finish will give them a place in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

The Netherlands, though still an Associate Member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), have proved themselves to be a competitive side in this tournament. 

Their biggest achievement in the ICC World Cup 2023 was to beat South Africa by 38 runs. However, they have failed to secure any other victory so far and are right at the bottom of the table.

Afghanistan are in good form, having won three matches in the World Cup, beating sides like England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. 

Netherlands too have shown great improvement in the tournament, beating teams like South Africa. It will be a battle of equals in this match of the World Cup and the winner will strengthen their chances of semis qualification. 

Scott Edwards has been brilliant as a captain and batter in this World Cup, but there is a lot more that the Dutch expect from the man who is also donning the keeper's gloves. 

We have to watch out for Max O'Dowd and  Logan van Beek, Shariz Ahmad, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren.

With three wins and as many losses, Afghanistan have six points at the moment and are currently placed sixth. But they have played one game less than the fifth-placed Pakistan who also have the same number of points. Although their net run rate is in the negative, Afghanistan will be on level pegging with New Zealand should they win the match in Lucknow today (November 3). 

But the Netherlands aren't a team to be written off. Having registered victories against South Africa and Bangladesh, they will be eyeing more success and prove yet again why they are not in this World Cup to just make the numbers.

Afghanistan's back-to-back success against Pakistan and Sri Lanka came in clinical run-chases, while the Netherlands have been far more comfortable defending totals, which adds another layer of interest to this contest. 

Breaking down the target into slabs on the whiteboard won't work if Afghanistan happen to bat first. Their top five have got the job done with minimum fuss, employing the old-school methods approaching a chase. But if they are to chase big totals, or need to set one, they need to get their strike rate up higher than their current 81.72, which is the eighth lowest among the participating teams in this World Cup.

Probable Playing 11s

AFG Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

NED Probable XI: Vikramjit Singh, Max O'Dowd, Wesley Barresi, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Logan van Beek, Ryan Klein, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren

Pitch Report Of Lucknow

The pacers receive assistance as soon as there is swing. There was enough in it for the spinners as well, especially as the innings go on and the ball softens and ages. In Lucknow, don't expect a really high-scoring contest. This is also the fifth and final game of the World Cup at this venue.

What to expect: This will be the fifth and final game that Lucknow will host in this World Cup. South Africa posted 311 against Australia in the opening game here and defended it. But the first-inning totals have been middling otherwise, with the pitches offering the bowlers a lot more help. In the previous game here, India defended 229 against a struggling England team, thanks to their pacers. The Netherlands have played here before, albeit in a day game against Sri Lanka who chased down 263 with 1.2 overs to spare. Weather-wise, it won't be too harsh on the teams with afternoon temperatures expected to be around 30-31 degree Celsius.

This fight is made even more interesting by the fact that Afghanistan's victories against Pakistan and Sri Lanka were consecutive, expert run-chases, whereas the Netherlands have fared far better when defending totals.

his is an important game for Afghanistan and Netherlands. Afghans have the momentum with them as they have beaten Pakistan and then Bangladesh in back-to-back matches. They had beaten England earlier in the tournament. They don't have good record vs the Dutch but they will look to improve on that.

Afghanistan Vs Netherlands  head to head record

Total matches played: 9

Won by Netherlands: 7

Won by Afghanistan: 2

Netherlands have played 6 and won 2 matches. That too vs England and Bangladesh. They have won many games vs Afghanistan in the past and will be looking to beat them today at Lucknow.

Many Afghanistan players are in form in this World Cup. 

Openers Gurbaz and Zadran have been excellent with the bat at the top. Rashid, Mujeeb have done a good job in the middle overs. Shahidi and Rahmat have played brilliant anchors in some of the wins.

Team news : Netherlands

Considering the pacers have had some success in Lucknow in the recent matches, the Netherlands could consider bringing in Ryan Klein in place of Shariz Ahmad.

Tactics & strategy

Scott Edwards has an average of 65.92 against spin in ODIs, with 791 runs off 794 balls. He will be key for the Netherlands going up against Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan.

Team News-- Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Rahmanullah Gurbaz had to take over the wicket-keeping duties early in the previous game after Ikram Alikhil injured the little finger on his right hand trying to collect the ball. Head coach Jonathan Trott confirmed that Ikram is fit to play.

Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

Tactics & strategy

Left-arm quicks have troubled the Netherlands batters in recent years. Max O'Dowd and Vikramjit Singh have been dismissed by left-arm pacers six times each since 2021 while Bas de Leede and Teja Nidamanuru have fallen prey five times. 

Wesley Barresi has also been dismissed by left-arm pace three times, with all these players having an average of below 30 against southpaw quicks. Hence, the in-form Fazalhaq Farooqi, who bagged the player of the match award in the last game, will be a key bowler against the Netherlands top order.

Did you know?

- Of the 10 venues used at the CWC 2023, Lucknow's average runs per wicket (28.32) for pace and spin combined is the second lowest after Kolkata's 24.81. Pacers have had more success here, bagging 39 wickets compared to 23 for spin.

- There have been three 50-plus scores from No.7 or below for Netherlands in this World Cup. All other teams have combined to score three.

- Afghanistan and Netherlands are the only two teams with no individual hundred in this World Cup so far.

What they said

"We haven't formed the foundation that we would have liked as a batting unit so far this tournament, but I suppose we have to look individually at how we're getting out. We haven't played the perfect game yet with the bat. We know that our middle order and our lower order are very capable of scoring runs towards the back end. So, I think if we can set the game up as a top order, top 3- 4 batters...It just takes two guys to form a good partnership and we'll set up a very good score." - Colin Ackermann on the average showing of the Netherlands top order.

From Google website.