West Indies vs. Afghanistan: High Stakes and High Expectations in T20 World Cup Clash

Rovman Powell, captain of the West Indies, is acutely aware of the expectations surrounding his team as they compete in the T20 World Cup on home soil. Playing their next match at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, named after the last captain to lead them to World Cup glory in 2012 and 2016, Powell understands the pressure to revive the "glory days" of West Indies cricket.

Conversely, Afghanistan carries no historical burden, yet they face the unspoken challenge of exploiting their current generation of talented T20 stars like Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. With both teams undefeated in their group-stage matches so far, their upcoming clash on Tuesday is expected to be a significant test, despite not affecting their progression in the tournament. Both West Indies and Afghanistan have brushed aside lower-ranked teams such as Papua New Guinea and Uganda and also secured victories over an unprepared New Zealand. Although Tuesday’s game doesn't impact qualification, neither team is taking it lightly, viewing it as crucial preparation for the more competitive stages ahead.

Match Details

- Fixture: West Indies vs. Afghanistan, 40th Match, Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

- Date: June 18, 08:30 PM Local time, 06:00 AM IST

- Venue: Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St. Lucia

Pitch Expectations

The pitch has consistently produced high scores, with totals of 180 being chased down, and the 200 mark surpassed in earlier games. Both teams, known for their aggressive batting, will likely relish the opportunity to swing freely.

Team Updates

West Indies

The hosts are expected to stick with the lineup that has earned them three consecutive victories.

Tactics & Matchups

The West Indies may deploy left-arm spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie to target Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who has struggled against this bowling type. Gurbaz scores at a modest rate of 101.63 against left-arm spinners and has been dismissed five times in 17 T20I innings since 2021. If he survives Hosein’s spell during the Powerplay, he will face Motie in the middle overs.

- Probable XI: Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is also likely to retain its winning combination.

Tactics & Matchups

Johnson Charles’ aggressive batting will be tested against Afghanistan's wrist spinners, Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad. Charles has scored at a brisk rate of 166.07 against wrist spinners in 10 innings but has been dismissed six times by them since 2021. Shimron Hetmyer also finds wrist spinners challenging, managing just 115 runs from 142 balls at a strike rate of 80.99.

- Probable XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan (c), Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi.

Key Stats and Records

- Johnson Charles has scored the most runs at this venue in T20s, with 939 runs in 31 innings at a strike rate of 135.10.

- Fazalhaq Farooqi has been outstanding with the ball, conceding just 4.25, 1.50, and 3.75 runs per over in the Power play, middle overs, and death overs respectively. He is the leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets.

- Akeal Hosein has claimed five wickets in the Power play across 48 deliveries, maintaining an economy rate of just 4 runs per over in this phase.

Quotes

- West Indies captain Rovman Powell highlighted the significance of playing World Cup cricket at home, expressing excitement about local players performing in front of their home crowd at various venues. He remarked that it was now Johnson Charles' turn to showcase his skills for the St. Lucian fans.

- The Afghanistan head coach reminded his players of the unique opportunity to play against the West Indies in a World Cup match in St. Lucia, highlighting the importance of pride and seizing such moments, even if qualification is not at stake.

Upcoming Fixtures

- June 19: USA vs South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10:30 BST); England vs West Indies, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (20:30 BST)

- June 20: Afghanistan vs India, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10:30 BST); Australia vs Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20:30 BST)

- June 21: England vs South Africa, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10:30 BST); USA vs West Indies, Kensington Oval, Barbados (20:30 BST)

- June 22: India vs Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10:30 BST); Afghanistan vs Australia, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20:30 BST)

- June 23: USA vs England, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10:30 BST); West Indies vs South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20:30 BST)

- June 24: Australia vs India, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10:30 BST); Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20:30 BST)