In a crucial matchup to maintain their hopes in the competition, Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan opted to bowl first after winning the toss against the UAE. This decision was influenced by his assessment of the Delhi pitch, which he regarded as a “fresh wicket” that would likely become softer throughout the day’s play, facilitating easier batting conditions for teams chasing runs.
With previous experiences in this World Cup showing that daytime matches tend to benefit bowlers due to extra moisture at the start, Rashid’s choice reflects a strategic approach to exploit these early conditions. As the sun progresses, however, it is anticipated that the moisture may dissipate, possibly leveling the playing field for the batting side, especially with temperatures expected to remain around 25 degrees Celsius.
In terms of team changes, Afghanistan has made a tactical adjustment by bringing in pacer Ziaur Rahman for left-arm quick Fazalhaa Farooqi, while maintaining a strong spin attack featuring Rashid Khan himself alongside Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi, and Noor Ahmad. The UAE, seeking to improve their stance, has also introduced two changes: Simranjeet Singh and Syed Haider replace Muhammad Farooq and Mayank Kumar in their eleven.
As both teams face a critical moment in the tournament, the stakes are undeniably high. With both Afghanistan and the UAE nearly out of contention for the Super Eights, today’s loser will be mathematically eliminated from the competition. The winning team, however, will still need to rely on a series of upsets involving table leaders New Zealand and South Africa in the following days to keep their hopes alive.
The squads are as follows:
Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (capt), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Darwish Rasooli, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Ziaur Rahman.
United Arab Emirates: Muhammad Waseem (capt), Aryansh Sharma (wk), Alishan Sharafu, Sohaib Khan, Syed Haider, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Arfan, Haider Ali, Simranjeet Singh, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah.
Both teams’ competitive spirit is on full display as they vie for survival, with each hoping to clinch a victory and maintain an outside shot at continuing in the tournament.