Afghanistan vs New Zealand Prediction: Afghanistan will be without Rashid Khan

Afghanistan is facing off against New Zealand in the One Off Test of Test Series at Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, Gautam Buddh Nagar, India on 9th September 2024. Afghanistan will be without Rashid Khan in this game. Who will win this game of cricket?

Hashmatullah Shahidi has been named to lead the Afghanistan cricket team in the only Test match against New Zealand. Regular skipper and star spinner Rashid Khan is out due to injury, as is seamer Naveed Zadran, who sustained a side strain. This is a huge jolt to the Afghanistan camp because Rashid Khan is their leading bowler.

In the absence of Rashid Khan, the onus will be on Hashmatullah Shahidi to lead the team. Till now, 29-year-old Shahidi has been promising with an average of 44 in 8 Test matches and a top score of 200* against Zimbabwe. Another exciting player will be Ibrahim Zadran with a century and four fifties from 7 Tests.

While the middle order is going to be anchored with Rahmat Shah and Riaz Hassan, who should thrive on this pitch. Without Rashid Khan, Afghanistan are going to hope for bowlers like Azmatullah Omarzai, Nijat Masood and Zahir Khan to rise and take the main bowling responsibility.

Ibrahim Zadran, Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmat Shah, Riaz Hassan, Ikram Alikhel (wk), Shahidullah, Qais Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai, Zahir Khan, Zia-ur-Rehman, Nijat Masood

Kane Williamson, former captain of the New Zealand cricket team is all geared up to create a new record in the coming one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand. Tim Southee, an experienced bowler will be leading the New Zealand squad. And it's studded with top players-Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra. Then, of course, there's the vice-captain Tom Latham to add much-needed stability to the side. Williamson himself is an invaluable batsman, averaging 68.57 in tests this year. Conway will do well on the Indian pitches; Ravindra and Mitchell will contribute whatever they can. Southee will lead the attack from the front and he would have support coming in the way of Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, along with all-rounders Michael Bracewell and Phillips.

Tom Latham, Tom Blundell/ Devon Conway, Kane Williamson, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Michael Bracewell, Tim Southee (c), Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, Matt Henry

The New Zealand team is coming into this game as a preparation for the tours of Sri Lanka and India to get some good experience on spinning pitches. They have an all-around team, which will make them upbeat coming up against Afghanistan, who are without a few of their key players with a relatively weak bowling attack. New Zealand will be expected to dominate the match with a relatively less experienced batting unit opposite them. They are the favored team to win in this Test.