PAK vs AFG LIVE Score: Pakistan vs Afghanistan LIVE: In what is a must-win game for both teams, Pakistan & Afghanistan will square off in an Asia Cup Super-4 clash at the Sharjah International Stadium on Wednesday.
Afghanistan not only have their fate in their hand but also India’s. If Babar Azam & Co win, both India and Afghanistan will be knocked out. Pakistan will play the Asia Cup 2022 FINAL on September 11 against Sri Lanka. The match will start at 7:30 PM and will be live telecast on Star Sports Network.
Preview:
With a win already in the Super 4, Pakistan come into their encounter against Afghanistan with renewed confidence. Their emphatic win over India showcased some tactical versatility that towered over the lack of form of some key players. If they win this fixture on Wednesday (September 7), both India and Afghanistan will be eliminated from the Asia Cup.
On the other hand, Afghanistan suffered a defeat after two successive wins and will be looking to get their campaign back on track in this must-win encounter. They will head in with a mild advantage of having played a game more than Pakistan at the Sharjah Cricket stadium.
However, the loss against Sri Lanka opened up a few chinks in the armour particularly in their middle order stability, with the form of their captain Mohammad Nabi being the biggest question mark. Their top-order firepower led by openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai has papered over these cracks largely over the course of the tournament and will be expected to shoulder the burden once again. Their newer challenge will be their abilities against a high-pace attack that Pakistan possesses.
Pakistan float on a similar boat with regards to form, but have found ways to overcome any concerns on both fronts. Injuries to frontline fast bowlers have also not come in the way of their bowling strength, with the likes of Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz bossing the spin numbers for the tournament. That they will operate in a period where Afghanistan have been struggling puts Pakistan in a further position of strength.
Encounters between the two teams have come with an added edge previously. Adding to that will be the tightly-packed event such as the Asia Cup, where the result of the game is set to have a significant bearing on the fortunes of other teams in the competition.
When:September 7, 2022 at 19:30 IST
Where: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Head to head: Since becoming a Full Member, Afghanistan have run Pakistan close thrice across formats but have finished second all the time.
Team Watch
Afghanistan
Injury/Unavailability: There is unlikely to be any change unless forced by injury.
Tactics and match-ups: The form of Mohammad Nabi will be a big concern for Afghanistan but Rashid Khan will once again be a key player for them. The legspinner has dismissed Babar Azam five times in as many innings in T20 cricket - thrice in PSL and once each in T20Is and T20 Blast.
Probable XI: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Samiullah Shinwari, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi
Pakistan
Injuries/Unavailability:A win in the previous encounter will ease their worries even as they sweat over the fitness Mohammad Rizwan who had jarred his knee in the game against India.
Tactics and match-ups: There will be concern over the form of the likes of Fakhar Zaman, who averages just over 18 in the last four years, and that of Babar Azam, whose average has slipped from 43 to 21 since the 2021 World Cup.
Probable XI: Babar Azam(c), Mohammad Rizwan(w), Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah
Did you know?
- Shadab Khan is yet to be hit for a six in this year's tournament.
- Nabi has been dismissed for single figure score in each of the last seven innings.
Squads:
Afghanistan Squad: Hazratullah Zazai, Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi(c), Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Samiullah Shinwari, Rashid Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Afsar Zazai, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Usman Ghani, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad
Pakistan Squad: Mohammad Rizwan(w), Babar Azam(c), Fakhar Zaman, Khushdil Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Usman Qadir, Haider Ali, Hasan Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani
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