Australia and Afghanistan are ready to face off at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 28 at 2:30 PM IST. This match is crucial for both teams as the winner will go through to the semi-finals.
Match Overview.
Both the teams have given mixed performances in the ICC Champions Trophy till now. Australia secured an excellent victory against England, but their match against South Africa was thwarted. On the other hand, Afghanistan lost their first match badly against South Africa and bounced back with 8 8-run victories against England. Australia with 3 points is at number 2 in the points table while Afghanistan is at number 3 position with two points so this match will play the role of quarter-final.
Head-to-Head Record
Looking at Head to Head Australia is far better than Afghanistan but Afghanistan has shown remarkable improvement in recent years. Both teams have faced each other four times in ODIs, with Australia winning all matches.
Weather and Pitch Report:
The Gaddafi Stadium Lahore is known for its batting tracks it is so good for batting that we have seen so many high-scoring matches here in previous years, and dew may help more to the batters in the later second innings. The weather may interrupt the game or reduce the overs in the match while the forecast for Lahore indicates a strong possibility of rain, with a 44% chance at the start of the match.
Predicted Playing XI (Australia)
Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steven Smith(c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis(wk), Alex Carry, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson.
Predicted Playing XI (Afghanistan)
Rahmanullah Gurban(wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Fazallhaq Farooqi.
Key Players to Watch:
Steven Smith; Australian Captain and experienced batsman will be crucial in their batting side.
Travis Head; An aggressive batsman who can provide a quick run in the power play.
Mohammad Nabi: A good all-rounder who can contribute with both bat and ball.
Rashid Khan: A top-class spinner in the Afghanistan side who has the ability to turn the game in his team's favor.
Match Prediction:
So far as the previous record Australia is the favorite to win this game but Afghanistan's spin attack especially Rashid Khan and Noor Ahamad can trouble the Ausies on the Lahore Pitch. If the top order of Afghanistan performs well in the batting they have a chance to pull off an upset.
Both the teams will give their best while Australia has the upper hand on paper, But Afghanistan's recent performances indicate that they are not also easy to face. If the rain does not interrupt the game fans can expect an exciting contest between bat and ball.
