West Indies’ upcoming Group C T20 World Cup match against Afghanistan at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Gros Islet, St Lucia, on Monday presents an opportunity to witness which team will maintain an unbeaten record in the group stage.
Both teams have already secured spots in the Super 8s, rendering this match less of a high-stakes encounter. T20Is have proven to be Afghanistan’s forte, bolstered by a wealth of mystery spinners, notably its skipper Rashid Khan. Its batting lineup, now capable of both depth and high-paced scoring, poses a significant challenge for the co-host West Indies.
Afghanistan will, however, miss Mujeeb Ur Rahman due to a recurring finger injury. Hazratullah Zazai has stepped in as his replacement in the squad. Despite Mujeeb’s absence, which came after his lone appearance against Uganda, Afghanistan remains confident with replacements like Noor Ahmad, who impressed with economical bowling against Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
The primary challenge facing both teams, many of whose players recently competed in the Indian Premier League, will be managing expectations on Caribbean pitches that haven’t favoured 200-plus scores in this year’s World Cup.
They would take a cue from Sherfane Rutherford’s innings against New Zealand in Trinidad, where West Indies struggled for much of the innings, slumping to 30-5 and 76-7 on a two-paced surface.
But Rutherford kept his cool and timed his onslaught to perfection as he took 37 from the last two overs of the innings to lift West Indies to an eventually winning total of 149-9. There’s a time for aggression, and a time for measured actions. The team that recognises it in a timely fashion will have the upper hand.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz’ battle against left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, known for his deceptive, swinging arm ball, promises to be an intriguing contest. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Key matchups
In past encounters, Rashid has proven particularly effective against West Indies’ Andre Russell, dismissing him three times in just 24 balls during IPL matches, with Russell averaging a mere 8.0 against him.
The foundation for Afghanistan’s batting success is laid by Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top. His battle against left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, known for his deceptive, swinging arm ball, promises to be intriguing. In fact, he and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie could pose a significant threat to Afghanistan’s predominantly right-handed middle-order.
West Indies will also be wary of Fazalhaq Farooqi’s left-arm angle and the swing and seam he generates with the new ball in the PowerPlay. The strong westerly breeze coming in off Rodney Bay could aid him further.
Conditions
The forecast predicts a low chance of showers. This is just the second match of the T20 World Cup here, so conditions are uncertain. However, the pitch used for Australia’s last game against Scotland was high-scoring and the teams would welcome similar conditions on Monday.
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