The ODI World Cup 2023 has burst into life with a series of stunning upsets. Afghanistan shook the cricket world by defeating defending champions England in Delhi, and the Netherlands followed suit with a remarkable win against high-flying South Africa in Dharamshala. As a result, the World Cup has become wide open, and New Zealand, one of the two unbeaten teams alongside India, is gearing up to face Afghanistan in Match 16 in Chennai today, proceeding with caution.
The Kiwis have been a dominant force in the tournament so far, securing three wins in as many games. Although they faced the setback of Kane Williamson's injury, the 2019 World Cup finalists have managed to execute their plan effectively. Unfortunately, Williamson, after missing matches against England and the Netherlands, returned to lead the side against Bangladesh but suffered a broken thumb while running between the wickets. While his participation in the World Cup isn't ruled out, it's highly unlikely he'll feature before the semi-final stage. Tom Blundell has been called up as his replacement.
On the other hand, Afghanistan is brimming with confidence after their remarkable victory over England in Delhi on Sunday. This 69-run triumph, coming after two consecutive defeats, has rejuvenated the Asian side.
ODI World Cup Match Details - New Zealand vs. Afghanistan: Venue – M.A Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Date and Time – 2.00 PM IST (Toss: 1.30 PM IST)
Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips for NZ vs. AFG Match: Wicket-keepers – Devon Conway, Rahmanullah Gurbaz Batters – Daryl Mitchell, Ibrahim Zadran All-rounders – Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra, Mohammad Nabi Bowlers – Rashid Khan, Trent Boult, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, Matt Henry Captain – Rashid Khan Vice-captain – Rachin Ravindra
Predicted Playing XIs for NZ vs. AFG: New Zealand: Tom Latham (c & wk), Devon Conway, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Ish Sodhi, Trent Boult.
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
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