NZ vs AFG Match Prediction & Betting Tips - Oct 26, 2022
New Zealand will be looking to register its second consecutive win as it takes on Afghanistan in a Group 1 fixture in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
It has just been a couple of days since the start of the Super 12 stage, but we have already witnessed a few close finishes. However, most cricket betting sites consider New Zealand as the overwhelming favorite to win this match.
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NZ vs AFG Team Previews
New Zealand
The Black Caps put up a clinical performance in its opening game, handing arch-rivals Australia its biggest defeat in a T20 World Cup game. This was also the first time that New Zealand won a game against Australia, in Australia, across all formats since 2011.
Devon Conway went all guns blazing, as he scored an unbeaten 92 off just 58 deliveries, to set Australia a mammoth target of 201. In reply, the hosts were bundled out of 111, its lowest T20 score at home.
The openers for New Zealand, Finn Allen and Conway have been in good form of late, providing solid starts. While Kane Williamson’s form remains a concern, Glenn Phillips and Jimmy Neesham have made up for their captain’s shortcomings, and have often steered their team out of tricky situations.
Tim Southee and Trent Boult picked 5 wickets between them in the game against Australia and will enjoy bowling at the MCG. Ish Sodhi is the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand this year. He, along with Santner, will be causing a lot of problems for the Afghan batsmen. <br />
New Zealand Playing 11
Playing 11 not yet available.
Afghanistan
2022 has been a mixed bag for Afghanistan. After drawing the T20 series against Bangladesh at the start of the year, they white-washed Zimbabwe 3-0 in its backyard. However, they were defeated by Ireland later on and enjoyed limited success at the recently concluded Asia Cup.
Their T20 World Cup campaign began with a defeat against England. While the Afghan bowlers did well to cause some problems for the English top order, they simply did not have enough runs on the board to stand a real chance.
Afghanistan middle-order batsmen, particularly Najibullah, have played well of late. However, the openers have lacked consistency. They are likely to struggle against the New Zealand fast bowlers at the bouncy pitch of the MCG. Fazalhaq Farooqi has been good with the new ball, but much will depend on how much can Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman extract from the flat pitch in Melbourne.
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Afghanistan Playing 11
Playing 11 not yet available.
NZ vs AFG Toss Prediction
A look at the past data shows that the pitch at the MCG gets easier to bat on as the game progresses. Hence, the team winning the toss is likely to bowl first.
Read our guide on toss predictions to learn how we analyze and come up with our tips.
Pitch and Conditions
MCG is one of the most iconic grounds in world cricket. There is something for everyone on the pitch. We are likely to see some movement off the seam, and some swing early on in the game.
The skies are likely to remain overcast, and we may even see some showers, leading to a shortened match. If the DLS does come into play, it will most likely tilt the balance in favor of the team batting second. So that is something that punters should consider before placing bets.
The average first innings score here is around 170.
NZ vs AFG Betting Tips
We are backing New Zealand to win this one. The Black Caps are high on confidence, and the playing conditions will only favor them. The Afghanistan team, while capable of throwing up occasional surprises, lacks the quality of players that can trouble the New Zealand line-up.
Bet on a New Zealand win.
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The New Zealand batsmen, especially the top order, have been in great form. Glenn Phillips has scored 4 half-centuries in 13 innings, while Conway has scored 3 in 9 innings. Finn Allen, Jimmy Neesham, and Kane Williamson are all capable of playing big shots and will have no problems dealing with the Afghanistan bowlers. We are therefore expecting a half-century from the New Zealand team.
Given the terrific form of New Zealand's top order, we expect them to score at a brisk pace in the first 6 overs of their innings. Conway and Allen provided them with an excellent start in the first game against Australia, where they scored 65 runs from the power play. With the ball nicely coming onto the bat at the MCG, the New Zealand openers will have no problems in going for the big shots.
Who will win NZ vs AFG
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Match Predictions
Cricket Betting Tips
- Jasprit Bumrah to pick over 1.5 wickets - 2.10 and 2 more RR vs MI betting tips
- The top batter in the encounter is from the West Indies. - 1.80 and 3 more PAKW vs WIW betting tips
- Highest opening partnership - LSG (1.80) and 2 more CSK vs LSG betting tips
- Delhi Capitals to win the toss - 1.90 and 4 more DC vs GT betting tips
- Mohammad Rizwan to emerge as the top batter for his team. - 3.50 and 3 more PAK vs NZ betting tips
We are eager to know what you think of our match predictions, if there is anything we can do better or if you want to let us know your own predictions for the match.