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Big picture: Semi-finals and Champions Trophy to play for
England – check, Pakistan – check, Sri Lanka – check, Netherlands – next?
Coming into this tournament, Afghanistan had just one win – in 2015 – to show for their previous two World Cup campaigns. Now, they have beaten three previous World Cup winners in this edition alone, and are gunning for two crucial points against Netherlands to turn up the heat in the race for the semi-finals.
Lucknow was Afghanistan’s adopted home turf back in 2019, when they faced West Indies in one Test, three T20Is and three ODIs. While they did not have much success in the ODIs back then, the familiarity with the venue could give them an edge in this contest.
And they have been clinical – not mercurial – in their victories. After dismantling England comfortably during their defence in Delhi, they chased down targets against Pakistan and Sri Lanka with a calmness that showed they belonged at the World Cup. Another victory will take Afghanistan to eight points, level with Australia and New Zealand who are in third and fourth place.
Afghanistan, however, are up against a team that also has much to play for. Netherlands are still in the running for the semi-finals, though their chances are slim, but they have a real shot at qualifying for the 2025 Champions Trophy. To do that, they need to finish in the top eight at this World Cup, and taking two points off Afghanistan will open a four-point lead over the two teams currently below them (Bangladesh and England).
Having taken down South Africa earlier in the tournament, Netherlands come into Friday’s fixture fresh off a win against Bangladesh. Their bowling – apart from the thumping against Australia – has been consistent but their batting has lacked firepower. Netherlands have scored 250-plus just once in this high-scoring tournament and have needed their middle and lower order to come to their rescue several times.
At a venue where run-scoring hasn’t been as easy, Netherlands will need to find a way to succeed against an Afghanistan attack that is much more than the exceptional Rashid Khan.
Form guide
Afghanistan: LWLWW (last five ODIs, most recent first)
Netherlands: LWLLW
In the spotlight: Azmatullah Omarzai and Aryan Dutt
Team news
Afghanistan (possible): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Azmatullah Omarzai, 6 Ikram Alikhil (wk)/Najibullah Zadran, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq/Noor Ahmad, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi
Netherlands are unlikely to make changes to the XI that beat Bangladesh.
Netherlands (possible): 1 Max O’Dowd, 2 Vikramjit Singh, 3 Wesley Barresi, 4 Colin Ackermann, 5 Scott Edwards (capt & wk), 6 Bas de Leede, 7 Sybrand Engelbrecht, 8 Logan van Beek, 9 Shariz Ahmad, 10 Aryan Dutt, 11 Paul van Meekeren
Pitch and conditions: Another slow burner?
Stats and trivia: Mujeeb on the cusp of a hundred
Quotes
“We are here at a World Cup, we’re not playing the Champions Trophy. The focus is the semi-final for us. We’re not interested in what’s happening in two years’ time. We’ve got a game to win tomorrow.”
Colin Ackermann says Netherlands have unfinished business in India
“We’re not going to make the semis by just talking about it. We have to play good cricket. How well we start tomorrow is going to be crucial and how well we finish.”
Jonathan Trott wants a clinical show from Afghanistan
Ashish Pant is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
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