With only two semi-final spots remaining in the World Cup, Australia will aim to overcome their middle-order struggles and book their place in the final four when they face a fearless Afghanistan on November 7.
India will finish top of the World Cup points table, while South Africa have also already qualified. Pat Cummins' men will be eager to seal their qualification at the first opportunity at the Wankhede Stadium. The Stadium is known for its batting-friendly conditions, but it also offers ample support to bowlers who possess the skill to exploit the pitch.
The upcoming match between Australia and Afghanistan promises to be an exciting watch, given Afghanistan's strong bowling attack, led by their spinners, and their resolute batting lineup, which will be eager to put on a strong performance against Australia. Australia will rely heavily on their leg-spinner, Adam Zampa, who has taken the most wickets in the World Cup so far, with 19 wickets in seven matches.
Australia need only one victory from their remaining two games, against Afghanistan and Bangladesh, to qualify for the semifinals and avoid the fierce competition in the middle of the points table for the final spot.
Despite securing five consecutive victories leading up to the November 7 match, the five-time champions are still somewhat away from their best form. This is mainly attributed to their middle-order not living up to its expectations.
Although Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are not prolific ODI run-scorers, their combined total of three fifties in seven matches each at numbers 3 and 4 is a major concern for Australia.
However, given their performance in Ahmedabad on a difficult pitch, both Smith and Labuschagne will be hoping for better returns against Afghanistan.
Labuschagne has notched two half-centuries in his most recent three outings. His impressive 71 runs off 83 balls against England on a sluggish pitch showcased his quality, contributing to Australia's total that proved insurmountable for England.
At the forefront, David Warner (428 runs in 7 matches) has carried a significant load, with Travis Head's strong start in the World Cup (accumulating 120 runs in two matches) bringing hope for a dynamic beginning for Australia.
With Mitchell Marsh's absence, Australia must also address the issue of Cameron Green's poor batting form among the team's designated all-rounders.
For Afghanistan, who have lost all three ODIs to Australia, including two in World Cups, it is essential to continue building on the success they have achieved in this edition.
With four wins in their last five matches, the Afghanistan team has kept their semi-final hopes alive, but getting past Australia will be a huge challenge, especially considering that they also need to improve their net run rate in their last two league games.
The consistent batting performances from Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi (282 runs), Rahmat Shah (264 runs), Azmatullah Omarzai (234 runs), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (234 runs), and Ibrahim Zadran (232 runs) have led Afghanistan to three consecutive victories in chase situations. However, facing Australia will be a new challenge.
Notably, Rashid Khan (7 wickets) chose to focus on improving his batting during an extended session on November 10, indicating his desire to enhance this aspect of his game. His performance of 56 runs in seven matches hasn't fully showcased his abilities.
Squads
Australia
Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.
Afghanistan
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil (wk), Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen ul Haq.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by PTI)
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
'I have not seen Rohit Sharma express so much. It was so emotional': Virat Kohli reflects on rarest of rare moment
'You have got the wrong Sara. The whole world...': Sara Ali Khan's hilarious reply to dating rumours with Shubman Gill
