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T20 World Cup Group of Death: SA, NZ, Afg battle!
6 Feb
Summary
- Group D features South Africa, New Zealand, and Afghanistan, creating a 'group of death'.
- New Zealand shows strong batting momentum, seeking to improve on 2024 exit.
- South Africa faces batting challenges after key retirements, needing middle-order strength.
The T20 World Cup's Group D is set to be a 'group of death,' featuring formidable teams South Africa, New Zealand, and Afghanistan. Only two teams from this challenging quartet will advance to the Super Eights, ensuring a dramatic early exit for one of the favorites. Canada and the UAE round out this highly competitive group.
New Zealand enters the tournament with significant batting momentum, having won 15 of its last 27 matches. Their recent scoring rate in the PowerPlay, at 8.73 an over, indicates a potent offense. Despite an injury to Adam Milne, their pace attack, spearheaded by Jacob Duffy, appears robust. South Africa, however, faces a tougher task. Following a runner-up finish in the previous World Cup, their performance in the shortest format has declined. The retirements of Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock have impacted their run rate, necessitating contributions from players like Dewald Brevis.
Afghanistan's spinners, including Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, were instrumental in their semifinal run last time. However, their batting has been a concern, with a low PowerPlay scoring rate of 6.74. They rely heavily on Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran, needing more support from the middle order to succeed, especially in subcontinent conditions. Teams like UAE, with a recent near-chase against Afghanistan and a series win over Bangladesh, and Canada, despite less experience against top nations, are poised to challenge.
