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Having misplaced to the Afghans within the T20 World Cup final 12 months, Australia won’t take their upcoming opponents frivolously
AFG beat AUS within the T20 World Cup 2024 in a stunner (X)
Eyeing a semifinal spot, Australia’s historic pedigree in cricket’s greatest tournaments will rely for nothing once they run into an Afghanistan aspect that’s quick cementing its place within the sport’s prime desk within the Champions Trophy right here on Friday.
Basking within the afterglow of their memorable win over England on the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, Afghanistan have a sensible probability of creating their second successive semifinals of a world occasion, lower than a 12 months after their entry into the final 4 stage of the T20 World Cup within the Americas.
Then again, a win for Australia will safe their passage to the semifinals of the event whereas eliminating Afghanistan with a sport to spare.
Nevertheless, it’s simpler stated than accomplished. For one, for all their firepower in batting, Australia are with out their three main quick bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood.
The trio’s absence was felt as England racked up a 350-plus whole of their event opener earlier than the Aussies rode on Josh Inglis’s counterattacking hundred to emerge victorious by 5 wickets and 15 balls to spare.
Two-time winners Australia are in search of to regain the Champions Trophy title after a niche of 15 years. They’d received back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2009 however failed to succeed in the finals within the 2013 and 2017 editions, after which the occasion was discontinued.
Within the absence of their huge quick bowlers, Australia know that their power lies in batting, with the likes of Travis Head, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Glenn Maxwell able to inflicting loads of harm on the opposition’s bowling assault.
Whereas there isn’t a doubt the absence of regulars has weakened the crew, it has additionally offered a possibility for the younger Turks to impress, cement their place within the aspect, and carry ahead the wealthy Australian legacy in marquee occasions.
Australia are anticipated to supply a powerful efficiency with the bat however for folks like Ben Dwarshuis, Spencer Johnson, Nathan Ellis, and Adam Zampa, who will shoulder the duty with the ball in difficult situations, they’re conscious that they must put their greatest foot ahead if they’re to progress from the group stage. Dwarshuis and Johnson had been profligate towards England (the match towards South Africa was washed out), and they’re going to look to make amends on Thursday. In Zampa, Australia has a spinner able to exploiting the situations in Pakistan.
So far as Afghanistan is worried, their batting will likely be spearheaded by swashbuckling opener Ibrahim Zadran, whose 177 towards England is now the very best particular person rating within the Champions Trophy.
Having misplaced to the Afghans within the T20 World Cup final 12 months, Australia won’t take their upcoming opponents frivolously, and Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott acknowledged that within the press convention after the victory over England.
However Trott has no motive to fret as he additionally has a formidable bowling assault at his disposal, with Azmatullah Omarzai main the tempo unit in addition to the spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mahammad Nabi, and Noor Ahmad.
Groups (from):
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Quick, Adam Zampa.
Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Ikram Alikhil, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Farid Malik, Naveed Zadran. Reserves: Darwish Rasooli, Bilal Sami.
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – PTI)