In the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup match, Pakistan will face Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on October 22. Pakistan began their World Cup campaign with impressive wins against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. They notably achieved a historic chase of the highest target in World Cup history when playing against Sri Lanka. However, their momentum was disrupted by a seven-wicket loss to India and another loss to Australia in their last match.
Abdullah Shafique has been a consistent performer in the World Cup, especially in the previous match against Australia, where he scored a solid half-century. Imam-ul-Haq, while struggling initially, showed promise with a fifty against Australia. Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, has yet to fully display his batting prowess in this tournament, and fans are hoping for a return to form.
Mohammad Rizwan has been a standout player, amassing 294 runs in four games, including a century against Sri Lanka. Saud Shakeel has addressed Pakistan’s number 5 batting concerns with a brilliant performance against the Netherlands and a crucial partnership with Rizwan against Sri Lanka.
Iftikhar Ahmed displayed his power-hitting abilities, and Mohammad Nawaz contributes with his all-round skills. Pakistan’s pace attack, led by Shaheen Afridi, has been inconsistent, with Haris Rauf struggling to contain runs. Hasan Ali has shown promise but is yet to produce a match-winning spell. With Naseem Shah’s absence, Hasan Ali’s performance becomes even more critical for the team’s success.
Pakistan will be looking to bounce back and secure a win in their crucial match against Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Pakistan Playing XI:
- Abdullah Shafique
- Imam-ul-Haq
- Babar Azam (C)
- Mohammad Rizwan (WK)
- Iftikhar Ahmed
- Saud Shakeel
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Usama Mir
- Shaheen Afridi
- Haris Rauf
- Hasan Ali
