Chennai: Giant-killers Afghanistan must be happy to have won the crucial toss and elected to bowl on a pitch that will give plenty of assistance to their bowlers in the World Cup match against New Zealand in Chennai on Wednesday.
2019 runners-up New Zealand have made one change to the squad after skipper Kane Williamson pulled out with a thumb fracture. Will Young is replacing the dependable New Zealand batter, while Tom Latham will lead the squad in Williamson’s absence.
Hasmatullah Shahidi, who won the toss, said he wanted to try keep New Zealand down to a below-par score. “We will try our best and win today, we are going with the same team.”
Squad:
Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Tom Latham (capt, wk), Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Mitchell Santner, Mark Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.
