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Toss Afghanistan chose to bowl vs PNG
On the same surface that hosted the West Indies-New Zealand clash 24 hours ago, Afghanistan, returning after a six-day break, chose to chase against Papua New Guinea.
There was no rain in the lead-up to the game, which meant that the used surface is likely to be slower. Daren Ganga, assessing the strip, said that “some areas are bare” and the density of grass along the cracks has increased, all of which would contribute to variable bounce.
But Rashid Khan, Afghanistan’s captain, reasoned that they wanted to have a “mindset to chase” even though the conditions would deteriorate as the game progressed. Afghanistan, who went in unchanged, had won both their matches batting first.
PNG captain Assad Vala said they made a “conditions-based change” leaving out vice-captain Charles Amini for left-arm seamer Semo Kamea.
PNG have lost both their matches so far but will have the quiet support of New Zealand, who would want them to beat Afghanistan to keep their hopes of qualification to Super Eight alive. Afghanistan will be assured of a spot in the next stage if they win.
Afghanistan: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Gulbadin Naib, 4 Azmatullah Omarzai, 5 Mohammad Nabi, 6 Najibullah Zadran, 7 Karim Janat, 8 Rashid Khan (capt), 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Naveen-ul-Haq, 11 Fazalhaq Farooqi
PNG: 1 Tony Ura, 2 Assad Vala, 3 Lega Siaka, 4 Sese Bau, 5 Hiri Hiri, 6 Chad Soper, 7 Kiplin Doriga (wk), 8 Norman Vanua, 9 Alei Nao, 10 John Kariko, 11 Semo Kamea