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World Cup 2019: Afghanistan vs Australia, Match 4, Preview, Weather Report, Pitch Report, Match Details and Head-to-Head Stats

Can Afghanistan cause an upset in their campaign opener against Australia?
Can Afghanistan cause an upset in their campaign opener against Australia?

Defending champions Australia will kick start their ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 against Afghanistan on June 1 at the County Ground in Bristol.

Match Details

Date: 1st June 2019 (Friday)

Time: 05:00 PM (Afghanistan), 10:30 PM (Australia-EST), 01:30 PM (England) and 06:00 PM (IST)

Venue: County Ground, Bristol.

Weather Report

A clear sunny day will cherish the players and spectators during the play at Bristol with no chance of rain and the temperature levels fluctuating between 20-24 degree Celsius.

Pitch Report

The Bristol pitch usually tends to favour the bowlers compared to other UK grounds, and anything above 270 is generally considered a par score here.

Head-to-Head Stats

Overall: The Afghans have played two one day international games against Aussies, but are still waiting to register their maiden win over the Kangaroos.

In CWC: The Afghans faced a heavy 275 run pounding in their CWC 2015 clash against Australia.

In England: This will be their first official ODI meet on English soil, among them only Aussies have prior experience of play at the County Ground, which gives them a certain advantage ahead of the clash.

Australia

The Australians are in good touch since their visit to India in March 2019. Overall, they have won nine out of 13 ODI matches played in 2019 and are on a eight match unbeaten streak. Meanwhile, they also declared a strong statement to other teams after securing wins in both warm-up games.

Batting

Key Batsmen - David Warner, Steve Smith & Usman Khawaja

Australian batting order seems well settled with the likes of Steve Smith, David Warner, Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch in their ranks. Meanwhile, Both Smith and Warner have already paid down a marker during the warm-up games. While Khawaja and Finch have been performing consistently since their visit to India. Further Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey will also be itching to prove their mettle on the big stage.

Bowling

Key Bowlers - Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc & Marcus Stoinis

Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will the key shuffles in the bowling attack, and it will mostly depend on these two to rattle the Afghans. While, Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Lyon will be seen serving the duties during the middle overs.

Expected Playing XI

Aaron Finch (C), Alex Carey (W), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.

Afghanistan

On the other side, Afghans have already made giant slides on the International front but lack consistency in their approach. They have won four and lost three out of seven ODIs played this year. Meanwhile, they also made a strong statement during warm-ups after defeating Pakistan by three wickets, but we're flattened in the next game against England.

Batting

Key Batsmen - Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Nabi & Asghar Afghan.

Mohammad Shahzad's hamstring injury during the first warm-up game against Pakistan is seen as a major setback for the team, and it's still unclear whether he will be fit for their opening game against Aussies or not. In his absence, Hazratullah Zazai role at the top becomes more crucial and he alongside Noor Ali Zazai will be backed to lay down a strong opening stand for the team. While Asghar Afghan, Mohammad Nabi and Hashmatullah Shahidi will also be seen serving crucial roles in the middle order.

Bowling

Key Bowlers - Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran & Gulbadin Naib

Rashid Khan and Nabi are undoubtedly the team's x-factor in the bowling lineup, and their performance will certainly decide the fate of the Afghans against Australia. Skipper Gulbadin Naib was in optimum touch against Ireland and he alongside side experienced Dawlat Zadran will be expected to claim few wickets upfront.

Expected Playing XI

Gulbadin Naib (C), Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rashid Khan, Dawlat Zadran, Hamid Hassan, Hazratullah Zazai, Noor Ali Zadran, Asghar Afghan, Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi.

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