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THE TIMES OF INDIA | Nov 07, 2023, 13:27:38 IST
AFG vs AUS World Cup 2023 Reside Updates: With seats filling up quick for World Cup semifinals, Australia will look to banish middle-order woes and safe a closing 4 spot towards a fearless Afghanistan in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Solely two locations stay up for the taking with rampant India slated to complete atop the World Cup factors desk. South Africa have additionally certified.
With no different staff immediately threatening Australia’s development into the semifinals, Pat Cummins’ males want to end the job on the first given alternative right here on the Wankhede Stadium — a venue that has been a paradise for batting but in addition helps the bowlers adequately if they’re adequate to use the circumstances.
The battle guarantees to be an attractive watch given Afghanistan’s battery of spinners and resolute batting itching to ship a robust present towards Australia, for whom leg-spinner Adam Zampa’s 19 wickets in seven matches are essentially the most for any bowler on this World Cup.
Australia want just one win from their remaining two contests — towards Afghanistan and Bangladesh — to change into the third semifinalists and extra importantly keep clear from the pack that’s about to interact in a dogfight in the course of the factors desk for the ultimate spot.
However the five-time champions are additionally in a manner, a bit removed from their finest though they arrive into Tuesday’s contest driving excessive on confidence of 5 consecutive wins, provided that their middle-order is but to come back to the occasion.
Steve Smith (one) and Marnus Labuschagne (two) aren’t any ODI behemoths however a mixed whole of three fifties in seven matches every between Nos 3 and 4 would give any staff an enormous concern.
However given how the duo batted in Ahmedabad on a pitch that was gripping and delivering Ahmedabad, each Smith and Labuschagne will hope for stronger returns towards Afghanistan.
For Labuschagne, his two fifties have come within the final three outings and his 83-ball 71 towards England was a high quality knock on a sluggish floor the place Australia did simply effectively sufficient to make a complete which was past England’s attain.
On the prime, David Warner (428 runs in 7 matches at 61.14, 2x100s, 1x50s) has executed the heavylifting whereas Travis Head’s sturdy starting to the World Cup (120 runs in two matches) provides Australia the hope of a fiery begin.
With Mitchell Marsh returning, Australia should additionally be capable of tackle the difficulty of Cameron Inexperienced’s bizarre run with the bat among the many staff’s designated all-rounders.
For Afghanistan, who’ve misplaced all three ODIs to Australia together with two in World Cups, it is going to be crucial to maintain constructing on the success they’ve garnered on this version.
With 4 wins within the final 5 matches, the Afghans have saved the semifinal dream alive however getting previous Australia will probably be a humongous problem, realizing that also they are required to enhance the Web Run Price of their respective final two league video games.
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