Afghanistan v New Zealand (IT's GONNA BE A CRACKER OF A MATCH) at Abu Dhabi-- 11/7 Sunday (D), Match #40, Group 2

[SillyCowCorner1]

"We only focus on ourselves, our team. Our main focus is how we qualify for the semi-finals, so we will go with that, and our focus is only on us, so we will try our best to qualify for the semi-finals."- Hashmatullah Shahidi

 

[straw man]

Pretty sad that if Afghanistan win this, they'll almost certainly send India through instead of themselves.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

NZ should let Afghanistan wallop them imo. I'm talking getting bowled out in two overs and then a big fat wide to end the game.

 

[honestbharani]

Have you seen what Shoaib Akhtar had to say already?

 

[Fuller Pilch]

NZ should let Afghanistan wallop them imo. I'm talking getting bowled out in two overs and then a big fat wide to end the game.

Good plan but I don't think the ICC Anti-Corruption unit would be very impressed.

 

[White Ball]

Pressure massively on NZ here.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Match of the tournament?

 

[Daemon]

Mujeeb being out hurts their chances a fair bit.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Cricinfo reporting Mujeeb is playing

 

[Nintendo]

I still really don't like santner at 7, strikes me as an ashton agar esque player who's ceiling is a run a ball 20 odd.

 

[White Ball]

Afghanistan win the toss and will bat. What kind of total do they need?

 

[Moss]

I still really don't like santner at 7, strikes me as an ashton agar esque player who's ceiling is a run a ball 20 odd.

Yeah for this game might gave considered bolstering the batting with Chapman or Seifert, given AFG are a much stronger bowling than batting unit. NZ’s batting depth will be tested at some point for sure, but let’s see.

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

Good thing Afghans are batting first

 

[straw man]

amusing swat by Shahzad and heh at that catch

 

[BoyBrumby]

NZ have their game faces on today.

Think Boult might've just held up in the surface slightly there; Zazai too early on it anyway and spoons up a dolly to Santner at mid on.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Commentators loving the Afghanistan leaves

Champagne t20 cricket

 

[Moss]

Excellent powerplay bowling from the NZ pacemen

 

[Moss]

Neesham does have a 5-for against Afghanistan in 50 overs, but not sure there’s a need to be bowling him when all the frontliners are doing their job well enough.

 

[Meridio]

A classic wicket-taking long hop from Ish. Probably would have been a wide too if he'd missed it.

 

[thierry henry]

Ish is currently in a league of his own when it comes to taking wickets with absolute crap