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Australia are searching for a ninth straight win in T20 cricket and their sixth across this ICC T20 World Cup, with victory over Afghanistan guaranteeing their place in the semi-finals.
DATE & TIME: Saturday 22nd June, 2024: USA (WST) – 5:30pm / USA (CST) – 7:30pm / USA (EST) – 8:30pm / Saint Lucia – 8:30pm / Sunday 23rd June, 2024: UK – 1:30am / India – 6:00am / South Africa – 2:30am / Pakistan – 5:30am / Bangladesh – 5:30am / Australia – 10:30am
VENUE: Arnos Vale Playing Field, Kingstown, Saint Vincent, West Indies
WEATHER: A slight chance of rain, but likely to remain dry and cloudy with a moderate breeze and temperatures at 28c
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: USA – Willow TV / West Indies – ESPN Caribbean / UK – Sky Sports / South Africa – SuperSport / Pakistan – PTV Sports & TEN Sports / India– Star Sports / Bangladesh – Disney Star
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: USA – Willow TV website / West Indies – ESPN Play Caribbean app / UK – Sky Go / South Africa – SuperSport app / Pakistan – Myco & Tamasha / India – Disney+Hotstar / Bangladesh – Disney+Hotstar / Australia – Amazon Prime Video
AFGHANISTAN FORM: CONSECUTIVE DEFEATS LEAVE THEM WITH WORK TO DO
On the back of a heavy defeat against West Indies, Afghanistan were beaten again last time out, this time vs India. After winning the toss, India accumulated 181/8 which was always likely to be enough and so it proved, with Afghanistan bowled out for 134 and leaves them most likely needing wins over Australia and Bangladesh to progress further.
LAST FIVE: LLWWW
AUSTRALIA FORM: WIN OVER BANGLADESH THEIR EIGHTH STRAIGHT T20 TRIUMPH
Australia maintained their winning streak with an important victory over Bangladesh, their first of the ‘Super 8s’ stage, which leaves them in a strong position. A win over Afghanistan would take them onto four points and ensure that defeat vs India shouldn’t prevent them from making it to the semi-finals.
LAST FIVE: WWWWW
AFGHANISTAN BETTING ANALYSIS
Although on the losing side against India, Rashid Khan showed his class in the face of stern opposition. The Afghanistan captain picked up three wickets, including those of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, finishing with figures of 4/26. Expect Rashid to step up again for his team here and back the T20i star spinner to record over 1.5 match wickets.
Another bowler worthy on investment on Afghanistan’s side is Fazalhaq Farooqi, whose left-arm pace bowling has proven extraordinarily potent all tournament long. As it stands, Farooqi comprehensively tops the wicket-taking charts over the course of the competition with 15 scalps. Therefore, backing him to accumulate another 2+ wickets has to be favoured via the ‘Bowler Milestones’ market.
AUSTRALIA BETTING ANALYSIS
After being dismissed for 31 against Bangladesh, Travis Head had extended his total run tally across this ICC T20 World Cup to 179 at an average of 44.75. The Australia opener also average over two sixes per innings and with this in mind, multiple markets appeal when it comes to investment in Head. Back him firstly to record 20+ runs against Afghanistan via the ‘Batter Milestones’ market, but also consider a stake on Head to hit over 0.5 maximums, utilising the ‘Batter Total Match Sixes’ market in which to do so.
Pat Cummins stole the show vs Afghanistan, taking a hat-trick for Australia and finishing as their top wicket taker across the game. Following those exploits, Cummins will likely bowl at the death again here, which opens up the prospect of more wickets and backing him to accumulate over 1.5 match wickets in total across this encounter looks a shrewd play.
AFGHANISTAN VS AUSTRALIA EXPERT PREDICTION
While Afghanistan boasts a number of star individual performers who have come to the fore across the competition whether it be Fazalhaq Farooqi and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the depth of the side is their weak point. Australia though, don’t have such issues with their team stacked with quality players from top to bottom.
This should prove crucial when these two nations collide as it was when Afghanistan ended up on the losing side against India. Unfortunately for them, the same outcome is to be favoured in this one with Australia likely to wind up simply too good for Rashid Khan’s side.
AFGHANISTAN VS AUSTRALIA TOP TIP: AUSTRALIA TO WIN