T20 World Cup 2024: West Indies and Afghanistan to engage in battle for supremacy
The Hindu
ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: West Indies vs Afghanistan match in Gros Islet
Hosts West Indies and much-improved Afghanistan will indulge in a battle of one upmanship and strive to gain momentum for the Super Eight stage when they take on each other in their final group stage game of the T20 World Cup at Gros Islet.
After starting off with a scrappy win over Papua New Guinea, West Indies are slowly but steadily finding their rhythm. They brushed aside Uganda and New Zealand.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, have had a flawless campaign so far. Rashid Khan and Co. are enjoying the conditions that the Carribean pitches are offering.
Gaining momentum is the only thing at stake in the final Group C clash with both teams having qualified for the Super Eights.
"Momentum is a very important word for us it's important for us to keep playing good cricket and consistent cricket," West Indies skipper Rovman Powell said on the eve of the game.
"After this game the Super 8 is very, very important so you want players going into the Super 8 with good performances, you want to go in the Super 8 as a team winning." That opener Rahamanullah Gurbaz (167 runs) and pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi (12 wickets) are currently leading the chart of run-makers and wicket-takers respectively is a just reflection of their fine run in this ICC showpiece.
Besides Gurbaz, the experienced Ibrahim Zadran has also made significant contributions collecting 114 runs with a highest score of 70. But the Afghans who have a lot of right hand batters will have their task cut out against left-arm spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie.
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