Afghanistan and Pakistan will face off in the match 35 during the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in Leeds on Saturday. Headingley in Leeds will be used as the venue for the contest, which will be hosting its 43rd ODI on Saturday. Average score batting first is 226, whereas average score for teams batting second at the ground in a 50-over contest is 207. Highest team score of 351 was registered by England in the match against Pakistan in 2019, whereas lowest team total of 93 was also registered by the home side in the match against Australia in 1975. Highest individual score of 152 was registered Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, whereas best bowling figures of 7-36 was registered by Pakistan's Waqar Younis in 2001.
For the Afghans, the game is all about playing for pride as they are the only remaining team in the competition who are yet to win a single match. Therefore, they will be hoping to put an impressive performance and play the role of a party spoiler. With pretty much nothing at stake, there are some changes expected in the final XI.
On the other hand, for Pakistan, the game is another do-or-die encounter as they would like to continue their journey towards the semis. After seven games, the Men in Green are placed on the sixth spot with seven points and would need to win their remaining two fixtures in order to have any chances of making it to the next round. After
Afghanistan and Pakistan will face off in the match 35 during the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup in Leeds on Saturday. Headingley in Leeds will be used as the venue for the contest, which will be hosting its 43rd ODI on Saturday. Average score batting first is 226, whereas average score for teams batting second at the ground in a 50-over contest is 207. Highest team score of 351 was registered by England in the match against Pakistan in 2019, whereas lowest team total of 93 was also registered by the home side in the match against Australia in 1975. Highest individual score of 152 was registered Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya, whereas best bowling figures of 7-36 was registered by Pakistan's Waqar Younis in 2001.
For the Afghans, the game is all about playing for pride as they are the only remaining team in the competition who are yet to win a single match. Therefore, they will be hoping to put an impressive performance and play the role of a party spoiler. With pretty much nothing at stake, there are some changes expected in the final XI.
On the other hand, for Pakistan, the game is another do-or-die encounter as they would like to continue their journey towards the semis. After seven games, the Men in Green are placed on the sixth spot with seven points and would need to win their remaining two fixtures in order to have any chances of making it to the next round. After winning consecutive matches against South Africa and New Zealand, no major changes expected in the playing eleven. However, veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik might still get a game in place of Imad Wasim.
Player Recommendations:
Batsman: Babar Azam (10.5 Cr)
Babar Azam is one of the best batsmen in white-ball cricket. The right-hander played an exquisite knock in the team's previous match against New Zealand where under high pressure and in difficult batting conditions, the Karachi Kings batsman scored an unbeaten 101 and took Pakistan over the line. It was the innings which took Azam to another level and a lot pundits labelled him as the player to join the fab-four club of Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith.
All-rounder: Mohammad Nabi (9 Cr)
Mohammad Nabi is one the most experienced player in the Afghanistan team. The 34-year-old has represented his country in 119 matches in the 50-over format, where he has scored 2,681 runs at an average of 27.92 and also has 125 wickets to his name.
Wicketkeeper: Sarfraz Ahmed (8.5 Cr)
Sarfraz Ahmed is one of the most underrated wicketkeeper-batsman in the 50-over format. The 32-year-old has represented Pakistan in 112 ODIs, where he has scored 2,250 runs at an average of 34.61 and with a strike-rate of 88.16, which included two centuries and 11 fifties.
Bowler: Shaheen Afridi (8 Cr)
Shaheen Shah Afridi is being rated as one of the most promising young fast-bowler around. The left-armer is going through a rough patch but made a grand comeback in the team's previous match against New Zealand where he finished with a match-winning spell of three for 28.
Predicted Playing XI:
Afghanistan: Gulbadin Naib(captain), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi, Samiullah Shinwari, Ikram Alikhil (wicketkeeper), Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman, Imam Ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Sarfraz Ahmed (captain and wicketkeeper), Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain
