Pakistan and Afghanistan are all set to take on each other in a very important Super Four round match on Wednesday (September 7) at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The Pakistan team is just one win away from earning a spot in the final of the Asia Cup 2022. Therefore, they will take this match seriously in order to finish among the top two in the points table. On the other hand, Afghanistan’s side has to win the contest to keep their championship match hope alive. The Afghanistan vs Pakistan match preview is discussed in this article.
Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Head-to-Head Twenty20 International Records
Afghanistan have only met twice against Pakistan in the Twenty20 format of cricket. Pakistan have come out victorious on both occasions. They first met each other back in 2013 in Sharjah, where Pakistan won the contest by 6 wickets. Eight years later, both sides played their second match against each other in the 2021 Twenty20 World Cup, which Pakistan won by 5 wickets.
Noteworthy T20I H2H records between Pakistan and Afghanistan
Pakistan Afghanistan
Matches (2) 2 0
Most Runs Mohammad Hafeez (52) Najibullah Zadran (60)
Highest Runs Babar Azam (51) Najibullah Zadran (38)
Most Wickets Junaid Khan (3) Rashid Khan (2), Mohammad Nabi (2)
Best Bowling Figure (BBI) Junaid Khan (3/24) Rashid Khan (2/26)
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Read Sri Lanka stuns India with a six-wicket win in Asia Cup
Asia Cup 2022, Super Four: Afghanistan vs Pakistan Match Preview
Pakistan played only one T20I this year before taking part in the Asia Cup of Cricket 2022. But not playing international T20 cricket hasn’t affected much of the Pakistan side. After losing their first match of the tournament against India, the Pakistan side has made a strong comeback with two back-to-back wins. Now they are one win away from securing a place in the final.
Oppositely, Afghanistan had a fantastic start with two commanding victories over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They are now on the verge of being eliminated from the tournament. At 8:00 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time), the game will start.
Pakistan
The Pakistan side showed a lot of promise in the contest against India. Their bowling unit did a great job, picking crucial wickets at the important stages of the match and denying India the chance to score 200. Mohammad Rizwan has been excellent for the Pakistan side. Besides, promoting Mohammad Nawaz up in the batting order worked out perfectly for the Pakistan side.
Read Asia Cup Cricket: India suffer its first T20 defeat in a loss against Pakistan
If anything Pakistan need to worry about, it is their captain Babar Azam’s current form with the bat. He is yet to find his rhythm in the tournament. The team will be hoping that Babar can showcase his true potential during the crucial contest against Afghanistan. Pakistan are unlikely to make any changes to the playing XI that participated in the last match.
Probable Playing XI
Top-Order: Babar Azam (Captain), Mohammad Rizwan (Wicket-Keeper), Fakhar Zaman,
Middle-Order: Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz,
Lower-Order: Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain
Afghanistan
Afghanistan seemed to be in complete control during their group phase fixtures. However, some of their weaknesses were exposed during the match against Sri Lanka in the Super Four Round. Afghanistan’s top-order has been doing a fine job so far in the competition.
Read Asia Cup 2022: Super 4 fixtures, favourites to advance to the final
However, the players from the middle order haven’t lived up to the expectations. Afghanistan need a strong finish in the death overs for a competitive score. That is why the power hitters have to be at their best against a strong Pakistani bowling lineup.
Unexpectedly, leg-spinner Rashid Khan conceded too many runs in the last match against Sri Lanka, which is a real concern for them. Lankan batters had exposed some of his weak points. Farooqi and Naveen were also expensive in the last match. The Afghanistan bowling unit needs to make a strong comeback and there will be no margin for error against a strong Pakistan team. There is no possibility of any changes in the playing XI.
Probable Playing XI
Top-Order: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Wicket-Keeper),
Middle-Order: Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (Captain), Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai,
Lower-Order: Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Read Asia Cup 2022: Group standings, where to watch live on App, OTT, TV
Pakistan vs Afghanistan Super Four Match: Weather and Pitch Report
The temperature will remain lower in Sharjah than in Dubai on Wednesday. The forecast suggests that temperatures can go as high as 30 degrees Celsius. The toss-winning captain may prefer to defend after posting a commanding score on board.
Verdict
Wednesday’s Super Four round match between Pakistan and Afghanistan is very crucial for all participating teams. Pakistan are one win away from securing a place in the final. On the other hand, if Afghanistan win, all four teams will still be competing for a spot in the Asia Cup 2022 championship game. On paper, Pakistan appear to be the favourite to win the match, but Afghanistan’s team is capable of surprising any formidable opponent.
Source: United News of Bangladesh