NZ vs AFG: New Zealand playing XI vs Afghanistan, Match 16, ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 – Predicted

New Zealand will face Afghanistan in match No. 16 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in Chennai.

New Zealand have been superb in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 so far. They have dominated every game they have played and are in the second position in the points table. New Zealand started the tournament with a thumping win over England in the tournament's opener. It was followed by wins over Netherlands and Bangladesh.

But their next challenge can be tricky, as they will be facing Afghanistan on the turning surface of Chennai. The game will be played on Wednesday at the Chepauk Stadium, which is known for its turning pitches, and Kane Williamson has also been ruled out. So here we will talk about the predicted playing XI for New Zealand against Afghanistan.

NZ vs AFG: New Zealand's Predicted playing XI vs Afghanistan

1. Devon Conway (wk) :

Devon Conway has been in the form of his life and is the second-highest runs scorer in the ongoing tournament. The left-hander has scored 229 runs in three innings at an average and strike rate of 114.05 and 104.09, respectively. He also plays for CSK in IPL and will be aware of the pitch conditions, which will make him a big player to watch out for.

2. Will Young :

Will Young missed the last game when Kane Williamson was back in the squad, but as Kiwi skipper has been ruled out, we might see Young back at the top. He scored a brilliant 70-runs knock against Netherlands in the last game and looked pretty good. He is an aggressive opener and likes to take on the bowling from the first ball.

3. Rachin Ravindra :

Rachin Ravindra has been a brilliant addition to this team and has performed pretty well so far. He has scored 183 runs at an average of 91.50 and a strike rate of 114.37, which is just brilliant. He is a good player of spin and that will be needed in Chennai. Rachin can put Afghan spinners under pressure.

4. Daryl Mitchell :

Daryl Mitchell is another in-form Kiwi batter who has looked good so far. The right-hander has scored 137 runs in three innings and has been dismissed only once. He is an important member of the middle-order because he can tackle the spinners pretty well, which will be required on the day. Mitchell can also play an anchor role to take the game deep.

5. Tom Latham (c & wk) :

Tom Latham will be leading New Zealand against Afghanistan in the absence of Williamson. He has batted once in this tournament and scored a brilliant 53 runs. He is in great form, and being a captain, he is likely to play better. Latham will be the key if New Zealand loose some early wickets because he can take the game away.

6. Glenn Phillips :

Glenn Phillips hasn't had much chance to bat so far in three innings, but we all know about his batting ability. The right-hander is an attacking batsman and can take on spin pretty well to put them under pressure. But his role as a spinner is also important because he has chipped in with three wickets and can be effective in Chennai.

7. Mitchell Santner :

Mitchell Santner will be the key for New Zealand against Afghanistan and also the biggest threat. He has been in superb form and is the joint-highest wicket-taker in this tournament. Santner has taken eight wickets in just three games at an economy rate of 4.23 and can rattle through Afghan batting-order. He is part of CSK team and knows how the pitch behaves.

8. Ish Sodhi :

With the pitch helping the spinners, Ish Sodhi is likely to get a game in place of Mark Chapman. The leg spinner can be a difficult bowler to face and will add variety to the bowling attack. Sodhi has been doing well in recent years and can also hit some big sixes with the bat, which will make him a perfect No. 8.

9. Matt Henry :

Just like Santner, Matt Henry is another wicket-taking bowler for New Zealand. He is also the joint-highest wicket-taker in this tournament and has picked up eight wickets in three innings at an average of 18.82. He has over-shadowed Trent Boult, which is a big thing.

10. Lockie Ferguson :

Lockie Ferguson has played two out of three matches so far and taken three wickets at an economy rate of 4.50. He can be pretty hard to handle on the turning pitch with his pace. And Afghanistan batters have not played at such a steaming pace normally. So Ferguson's role will be clear in the middle-overs to go for the wickets.

11. Trent Boult :

Trent Boult hasn't produced the opening spell for which he is known. But the left-arm pacer has also not given up runs and taken three wickets at an economy rate of 4.53. Boult can be the one that puts pressure on Afghanistan with his opening spell because he can use the moisture of the pitch and remove a couple of early wickets.