World Cup 2023, PAK Vs AFG | Playing 11 Prediction, Cricket Tips, Preview & Live Streaming

Pakistan will take on Afghanistan on Monday [X.com]

Pakistan strive to revive their campaign with a win over Afghanistan in Match 22 of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Monday (October 23) in Chennai. In what promises to be a heated clash for supremacy on a tricky pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, the Asian Giants collide with their regional neighbours after facing consecutive defeats in the tournament. 

Babar Azam's men started the campaign promisingly with wins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka but have since been brought down to earth via disappointing losses to India and Australia. For Afghanistan, a remarkable upset against England could've acted as a springboard to further success, but the defeat to New Zealand dented their spirits. 

PAK vs AFG: Team Previews 

Pakistan 

Pakistan would've rued their middle-order failures for the last two games. While the opening stand of Abdullah Shafique and Imam-Ul-Haq continues to pack the punch and lay the right foundation, the struggle of their leading man, Babar, has piled on the pressure for the rest of the batting unit. Babar made a half-century versus the Indians but has collected only 83 runs in his four innings of the tournament. 

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The skipper's struggles have caused instability at the non-Mohammad Rizwan end. Rizwan is Pakistan's leading run-getter of the competition with 294 runs and was looking in encouraging touch to take the run-chase versus Australia deep. But once he departed, Pakistan fell like a pack of cards to ultimately lose their ten wickets for 171 runs from the Shafique-Imam stand. 

Pakistan had a forgettable outing vs Australia [X.com]

With the ball, Pakistan's inexperience has stood exposed in the competition. Shaheen Afridi's failure to deliver early breakthroughs with the new ball has given the opposition a strong headstart in matches, which has meant the rest of the attack has been put under the pump. Pakistan need their issues sorted out quickly or risks conceding irrevocable ground in their quest to make the semis. 

Afghanistan 

Afghanistan need their batting to overcome its longstanding problems: the ability to withstand pace movement and to rotate strike against spin on good deliveries. 

Failing on these two fronts has forced their batters to take excessive risks to keep the scoreboard moving, giving opposition attacks a greater footing in the contest. 

Afghanistan handed England a shock defeat [X.com]

It is reflective of how their campaign has transpired. Either side of the fixture against England, they've fallen below par scores on each occasion versus Bangladesh, India and New Zealand. 

Once they put up a significant total on the board and their famed spin trio led by Rashid Khan finds grip and turn later in the game, they're in with a real shout. 

PAK vs AFG: Match Details & Live Streaming

PAK vs AFG: Chennai Pitch Report

The pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium has been the trickiest for the tournament so far, offering spinners sharp turn and uneven bounce to the pacers. A similar deck for the Pakistan-Afghanistan affair could turn it into a riveting battle as the spirited Afghans possess a famed battery of tweakers who can put Babar Azam & company under the pump. If the Afghan batters put a strong total on the board, their much-fancied opposition is in for a real contest.

PAK vs AFG: Probable Playing XIs

Pakistan: Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

Afghanistan: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

PAK vs AFG: Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips

PAK vs AFG: Winner Prediction

Pakistan have been miserable with the ball, which would raise the Afghani hopes. But historically, the Afghans have struggled in close-fought matches against their bogey opposition. If the coming encounter runs till the end, Pakistan's superior experience is expected to hold them in good stead.

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