World Cup 2023: Australia vs Afghanistan, Game 39 – Match Prediction

Australia will lock horns against Afghanistan in the 39th match of the ongoing World Cup 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Tuesday. The five-time champions need one more win to confirm their qualification for the semifinals and they will look to come up with their best.

Afghanistan, on the other hand, is also very much in the hunt for the last four and they will have to win their last two league-stage matches but they will have their work cut out against Australia and then South Africa.

Australia was written off by a lot of boffins after they lost their opening two matches against India and South Africa but they have once again proved why they are a champion team.

They were without the services of Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell in the previous match but still came up with a win against arch-rivals England. However, both the all-rounders will be available for selection as Australia will have all 15 players available to pick from for the first time in the ODI showpiece.

But, Australia’s pace battery still remains a concern for the team as the likes of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc haven’t been at their absolute best.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan has ticked the right boxes as a batting unit and they must have grown in confidence with their promising performances. Their middle order of Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi has done a consistent job for the team.

Match Prediction: Australia will enter the contest as favorites against Afghanistan.

Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Rahmat Shah, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Alikhil, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Abdul Rahman, Naveen ul Haq.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Mitchell Starc.