Rashid Khan will be the skipper for Afghanistan in this match as they compete in favorable circumstances. Given that Pakistan has rested some of its top talents and wants his team to approach the game constructively, Rashid Khan will be looking for a chance in this match. In addition, they will want to avoid repeating their poor performance against a top-ranked team.
As they play a youthful new-ball assault, openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran must put in significant effort. Next, the middle order will require runs from Afsar Zazai, Mohammad Nabi, and Najibullah Zadran, who have all performed well on this ground. Next, they bat deep with Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, and Karim Janat in the bottom middle order.
To put Pakistan under strain, Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman and Azmatullah Omarzai must take early wickets. Rashid Khan and Naveen-ul-Haq play the most significant roles in the middle overs. As their opponents bat hard, they may also count on Janat, Nabi, and Fareed Ahmad Malik to provide strong spells.
Shadab Khan will be the team’s captain since Pakistan has rested several of its star players for this competition. Therefore, he would be content to captain players who performed well in the recently held Pakistan T20 League and would be excited about their prospects on comparable pitches. Shadab Khan wants his players to perform strongly since Afghanistan may be difficult to defeat in these circumstances.
Mohammad Haris and Shan Masood, the side’s opening pair, must perform well at the top and provide a solid foundation. The squad anticipates partnerships between Saim Ayub, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Shadab Khan in the middle order. Mohammad Nawaz, Imad Wasim, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. are expected to score in the closing overs since the team bats deeply.
The bowling attack will seek early wickets, and young fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Zaman Khan must perform well. A strong performance from Shadab Khan and Ihsanullah will benefit the team since they would love bowling on this surface. This assault is strengthened by Imad Wasim, Mohammad Wasim Jr., and Mohammad Nawaz.
Match Details
Match: AFG vs PAK, 1st T20I, Afghanistan Vs Pakistan, 2023
Date: Friday, March 24, 2023
Time: 09:30 PM
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Pitch and Weather Report
It is one of the most excellent batting surfaces, and this ground often has scores of 200 or higher. Both teams would have no qualms about choosing to bat first after winning the toss since it has proven a very challenging turf for the bowlers.
There is no finer setting for batters than this one. The Sharjah Cricket Stadium boasts a level playing surface, a quick outfield, and short boundary lines. There is nothing in there for the fast bowlers on this surface, and the ball comes into the bat wonderfully. Spinners will be a headache here, as both teams have some fabulous spin attacks.
The track will be suitable for batting since it will be a hot and muggy day in Sharjah. The temperature would be between 26℃ and 18℃ with a wind speed of 32 km/h in the east direction. Because the bowlers cannot move laterally, the batters may play on the up. Here, 200 or more scores have often been made and pursued. Therefore, the team that bats first in this game must aim for more than 180 runs to feel secure.
AFG vs PAK Squads
AFG: Rashid Khan (C), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (WK), Ibrahim Zadran, Usman Ghani, Sediqullah Atal, Najibullah Zadran, Afsar Zazai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Fareed Ahmad, Fazal Haq Farooqi and Naveen Ul Haq.
PAK: Shadab Khan (c), Abdullah Shafique, Azam Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Ihsanullah, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Zaman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, Shan Masood, Saim Ayub
AFG vs. PAK Probable Playing XIs
AFG: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Afsar Zazai (wk), Karim Janat, Najibullah Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Mohammad Nabi
PAK: Shadab Khan (c), Mohammad Haris (wk), Shan Masood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Zaman Khan, Naseem Shah, Imad Wasim, Saim Ayub, Ihsanullah
Match Prediction
In this game, Afghanistan has the highest chance of defeating Pakistan. They have an outstanding batting lineup and a potent spin-bowling attack. They must take a constructive attitude into the game. Some players have gained experience in the recent PAK T20 League. These players have a slight advantage since they performed well there and are confident. Afghanistan to triumph