The West Indies will take on Afghanistan in a T20 World Cup match at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St. Lucia. The West Indies team has performed well under pressure and aims to win the trophy this time. Their bowlers have been in good form, and they hope to deliver another impressive performance against Afghanistan, who have also been unbeaten in the tournament so far. This match will be their toughest challenge, following their comfortable victories in previous matches.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan will aim to challenge the West Indies with their formidable bowling attack led by Rashid Khan to put pressure on their batsmen. They will likely focus on attacking the West Indies opening batsman from the outset. This year, Afghanistan’s squad is stronger, particularly with the impressive performance of Gurbaz in the batting unit.
Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St Lucia Pitch Report
St. Lucia’s pitch favoured the batsmen in the last game, with Sri Lanka scoring a massive total of 201 runs. Teams batting first will have a significant advantage as the pitch becomes more challenging to play on in the second innings. Spinners will benefit from the drier pitch, which will provide them with more opportunities for swings. We can anticipate a closely contested match, as both teams have excellent spinners who could play a crucial role.
Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St Lucia Pitch Stats
Total Matches: 19
Matches won batting first: 9
Matches won bowling first: 10
Average 1st innings score: 162
Average 2nd innings score: 153
Highest total recorded: 201/6 in (20 Ov) by SL against NED
Lowest total recorded: 105/10 (19 Ov) by WI against AUS
WI vs AFG Head-to-Head
West Indies and Afghanistan have played each other seven times in previous encounters, with West Indies winning four matches and losing three.
WI vs AFG Top Players Predictions
Sherfane Rutherford (WI):
The strong batter has been in great form for West Indies during the death overs as his tremendous striking helps the team to reduce pressure. He is the top run-scorer in the team with 92 runs, which includes an impressive innings against New Zealand in the last match, where he scored 68* runs from 39 balls. At one point, the team was struggling to reach that score but his innings ensured that they posted enough runs on the board.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (AFG):
The wicketkeeper-batsman has been in excellent form in the tournament, scoring centuries in the first two matches. Despite his aggressive batting style, he has shown more composure at the crease. In the first three matches, Gurbaz has been the highest run-scorer for Afghanistan so far, tallying 167 runs. His performance will be crucial for Afghanistan to get a strong start in this match.
Akeal Hosein (WI):
With the new ball, Akeal Hosein has proven to be a valuable asset for the team during the powerplay, having taken seven wickets in the first three matches. Akeal Hosein is a skilled left-arm orthodox bowler who effectively swings the ball using his variations. He will be looking to take more wickets to enhance his reputation.
WI vs AFG Hit or Miss Prediction
Fazalhaq Farooqi (AFG): He has been a key player for Afghanistan, who have utilized him well during the power plays. He leads the competition in wickets taken with 12 wickets from the first three matches. His swing deliveries have caused a lot of trouble for the batsmen. He aims to have a similar impact in the upcoming match.
WI vs AFG Conditions-based Predictions
Akeal Hosein spell will be key
Gurbaz staying on the pitch will be crucial
Spinners will play an important role in this pitch
WI vs AFG Match Predictions
West Indies are tipped favourites by odds at a 1.51x rate in their favour. Nicholas Pooran will be key for West Indies as the odds for him to score above 21.5 runs are at 1.85x. Conversely, Afghanistan is tipped to score above 74.5 runs in the first ten overs at 1.99x odds.
WI vs AFG Winner Predictions
The West Indies are the favourites here as they are accustomed to these conditions. Spinners will be key on this surface as it offers something for them. Afghanistan will fancy their chances as they have a strong batting lineup that could continue their magical run with the bat. However, we expect the West Indies to secure a close victory here.
