Netherlands vs Afghanistan Prediction: Afghanistan hopes of semis rest on them

Netherlands and Afghanistan are going head to head in the 34th game of the ICC World Cup 2023 at Ekana Sports City, Lucknow, India on 3rd November. Afghanistan still have hopes of making it into the semi-finals but a win against the Netherlands is a must. Who will win this game?

The Netherlands have delivered some impressive performances, surpassing expectations by defeating strong teams like South Africa and Bangladesh in the ongoing World Cup. Despite their commendable efforts, they find themselves with only 4 points from 6 matches, necessitating victories in all of their remaining three games, starting with this crucial one, to stay in contention for the playoffs.

For the Netherlands to succeed, the top four in their batting order must step up their game. Unfortunately, both Max O'Dowd and Vikramjit Singh have struggled, failing to amass even 100 runs combined across their 6 innings in the tournament.

On a positive note, Wesley Barresi, in his first appearance in this edition, contributed 41 runs and demonstrated good form. Captain Scott Edwards has led the team by example, emerging as the highest run-scorer for the Netherlands. Additionally, Sybrand Engelbrecht and Colin Ackermann have shown promising performances on occasion.

The Netherlands possess a pair of capable all-rounders in Bas de Leede and Logan van Beek, making their contributions pivotal to the team's success. With Paul van Meekeren excelling with the new ball and securing 10 wickets, the team has a reliable pace bowler.

Success in this match for the Netherlands will hinge on their collective performance as a team.

Vikramjit Singh, Max ODowd, Wesley Barresi, Colin Ackermann, Scott Edwards (c & wk), Bas de Leede, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Logan van Beek, Shariz Ahmad, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren

Afghanistan has been enjoying a remarkable journey in this World Cup, a stark contrast to their previous performance, where they had managed to secure just one victory. In an impressive turnaround, Afghanistan has already claimed three wins out of the six matches played, placing them tantalizingly close to the playoffs.

A significant factor contributing to Afghanistan's success has been their outstanding batting performances. Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz have formed two-century partnerships, consistently providing the team with a strong start. Additionally, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Rahmat Shah, and Azmatullah Omarzai have displayed remarkable consistency throughout the tournament, each notching up two half-centuries.

While their batting has been a standout, Afghanistan acknowledges the need for improvement in their bowling department. Rashid Khan leads the team's wicket-takers with 7 dismissals, spearheading the spin attack alongside Mohammad Nabi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

In the seam department, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen Ul-Haq have each claimed 6 wickets, while Azmatullah Omarzai has made a valuable contribution with 5 wickets. Afghanistan's balanced approach and impressive batting prowess place them as strong contenders in the tournament.

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

The toss has proven to be inconsequential in determining the outcome of matches at this ground, with both teams batting first and second securing four wins each. We anticipate that the toss-winning team will likely choose to field first.

The pitch at Lucknow has been one of the more challenging surfaces for batting in this tournament. The average first-inning score on this ground stands at 217. However, the team batting first should aim to amass a minimum of 250 runs. This match marks the fifth encounter on this ground, and the pitch exhibits numerous rough patches.

Spin bowlers are expected to play a pivotal role throughout the match. Cloudy weather is forecasted for the day, with no likelihood of rain.

The temperature will hover between 25 to 30 degrees, and some dew may be observed during the latter stages of the match.

The Netherlands and Afghanistan entered this tournament as underdogs and have gained widespread admiration for their fearless brand of cricket. Nevertheless, we believe that Afghanistan holds a slight advantage due to their stronger batting lineup.

The Netherlands, renowned for their penchant for surprises, could undoubtedly make this contest a closely fought encounter.

Our bet is on Afghanistan to emerge victorious.