Cricket

The T20 World Cup 2024 is heating up, with five teams already securing their spots in the Super 8 stage. India, Australia, Afghanistan, West Indies, and South Africa have emerged as the frontrunners, leaving three spots up for grabs.Group 1 of the Super 8 stage features India, Australia, and Afghanistan. India, the defending champions, will be looking to continue their dominance, while Australia, the former champions, will be eager to reclaim their title. Afghanistan, the surprise package of the tournament, will be aiming to make a deep run.Group 2 consists of West Indies and South Africa. West Indies, the two-time champions, will be hoping to regain their glory days, while South Africa, the perennial underachievers, will be determined to break their World Cup jinx.The remaining three spots in the Super 8 stage will be filled by the top teams from Groups A, C, and D. USA, England, and Bangladesh are the favorites to qualify from their respective groups, but other teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and New Zealand are still in contention.The first round of the tournament concludes on June 17, with the Super 8 stage commencing on June 19. The opening match of the Super 8 round will see South Africa take on the second qualifier from Group A in Antigua.All teams will start the Super 8 stage on an equal footing, with no points or net run-rate advantage carried forward from the first round. The top two teams from each Super 8 group will advance to the semi-finals, which will be held on June 26 and 27.The final of the T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled for June 29 in Barbados. With a thrilling Super 8 stage and a highly anticipated final, the tournament promises to deliver non-stop excitement and unforgettable moments.

Fazalhaq Farooqi, Afghanistan's bowling sensation, has emerged as a force to be reckoned with at the T20 World Cup 2024. Despite not playing a single match for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, Farooqi has made a remarkable impact, leading the bowling charts with 12 wickets in just 11.2 overs.Farooqi's left-arm angle and ability to swing the ball both ways have proved lethal, particularly in the powerplay. Seven of his wickets have come in the first six overs, the most by any bowler in the tournament. His skill was evident in his two-wicket burst against PNG, where he dismissed both Lega Siaka and Sese Bau with deliveries that moved away and into the batsmen respectively.Farooqi credits his success to his relentless pursuit of skill development. "I'm not someone big and tall and bowling very fast," he said. "I was going to learn to bowl swing and that now for me is simple."Despite not playing in the IPL, Farooqi remained focused on improving his skills. He worked closely with Afghanistan's bowling coach, Hamid Hassan, and also sought guidance from Dwayne Bravo, who is serving as a bowling consultant for the team.Farooqi's relationship with Bravo has been particularly influential. "DJ Bravo, I am with him from last four years," he said. "He just wants to give to us some tips for how we bowl in the death, how we bowl in the crucial situations. He is everyone's mentor."Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan praised Farooqi's impact, comparing him to the team's batting star, Rahmanullah Gurbaz. "Someone like Fazal, who is coming in and attacking each and every ball, that allows us to have a strong base as a bowling unit," Rashid said.Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan's head coach, believes Farooqi has even more potential. "I still think with the amount of talent, I still think he can even bowl better," Trott said.As Afghanistan prepares to face West Indies and enter the Super Eight, Farooqi is confident in his team's ability. "We now have found some confidence," he said. "Now everyone has belief in our skills… This is the first time we just qualify for the Super Eight and we are so happy."

Afghanistan is poised to secure a berth in the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup with a victory over Papua New Guinea in Tarouba. This triumph would also eliminate New Zealand, the 2021 finalists, who have suffered two consecutive defeats.Afghanistan's success has been driven by the exceptional performances of Rahamanullah Gurbaz and Fazalhaq Farooqi. Gurbaz leads the tournament in runs scored, while Farooqi has taken the most wickets. Their contributions have been instrumental in Afghanistan's impressive run in the competition.In contrast, Papua New Guinea faces an uphill battle against a formidable Afghanistan side. Despite their spirited efforts, they lack the experience and depth to overcome Afghanistan's all-round strength.Meanwhile, Pakistan's fate in the tournament hangs in the balance as they anxiously await the outcome of the USA-Ireland match in Lauderhill, Florida. A victory for the USA would end Pakistan's World Cup campaign, while a win for Ireland would keep their hopes alive.In a separate development, England's title defense is on the brink of collapse. They must win their remaining matches by a significant margin and hope that Scotland loses badly to Australia to have any chance of advancing.

Afghanistan vs Papua New Guinea: A Clash of Contrasts in TaroubaAfghanistan, riding high on their impressive start to the T20 World Cup 2024, face a stern test against Papua New Guinea (PNG) at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba. The Afghans have been in scintillating form, boasting a formidable opening partnership and a potent bowling attack.PNG, on the other hand, are yet to register a win in the tournament but have shown glimpses of their potential. Their medium-pacers and spinners will be eager to make an impact on the sluggish Tarouba pitch.Afghanistan's Strengths and WeaknessesAfghanistan's success has been largely attributed to their openers, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran. The duo has forged a formidable partnership, amassing over 250 runs in the tournament so far. However, the middle order has not had enough opportunities to prove their worth.The bowling attack, led by Rashid Khan, is another key strength for Afghanistan. Khan's exceptional economy rate and wicket-taking ability make him a formidable threat. However, the team's reliance on spin could be a concern on a pitch that is expected to favor slower bowlers.PNG's Hopes and ChallengesPNG will be desperate to break their winless streak and boost their chances of reaching the Super Eight. Their bowling attack, led by Norman Vanua, has shown promise, but they will need to be more consistent.The team's batting has been inconsistent, with only Sese Bau and Tony Ura showing some form. They will need to find a way to put up a competitive total against Afghanistan's formidable bowling attack.Pitch and ConditionsThe Tarouba pitch is expected to be sluggish and favor spin bowling. The forecast for rain could make the pitch drier and aid more spin. The captain winning the toss is likely to bowl first to take advantage of the dew factor.ConclusionThe clash between Afghanistan and PNG promises to be an intriguing contest. Afghanistan will be the favorites, but PNG will be determined to prove their worth and upset the odds. The match could have a significant impact on both teams' hopes of reaching the Super Eight.

Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi has ascended to the pinnacle of the ICC T20I all-rounder rankings, while India's Suryakumar Yadav maintains his dominance as the top-ranked batter.Nabi's remarkable performances in the ongoing T20 World Cup have propelled him to the summit. The 39-year-old's all-round brilliance, including two wickets against New Zealand, has earned him the coveted no. 1 spot.In a significant shake-up, Nabi has leapfrogged Australia's Marcus Stoinis, who now occupies the second position. Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, the previous no. 1, has dropped to fifth.Suryakumar Yadav's consistent brilliance has kept him at the top of the T20I batter rankings. Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz has achieved a career-high ranking of 12th, becoming the leading run-getter in the T20 World Cup with 156 runs.Pakistan's Babar Azam has moved up to third, while England's Jos Buttler has secured fifth place. Australia's Travis Head has entered the Top 10, rising six places to tenth.In the bowlers' rankings, England's Adil Rashid remains at the top, followed by Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga. Afghanistan's Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi have moved to third and fourth spots, respectively, while South Africa's Anrich Nortje shares fourth place with Farooqi.Rashid Khan has six wickets in two matches, while Farooqi leads the tournament with nine wickets. Nortje is the second-highest wicket-taker with eight scalps.Bangladesh's trio of Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Rishad Hossain have made significant progress, moving to 13th, 19th, and 30th positions, respectively.

New Zealand's T20 World Cup campaign has hit a major roadblock after a disastrous 84-run defeat to Afghanistan in their opening match. The Black Caps, who had not played a T20I together since February, looked rusty and out of sorts in all three facets of the game.Captain Kane Williamson's dismissal, a dab straight to first slip, epitomized New Zealand's struggles. The team's fielding was uncharacteristically sloppy, with dropped catches and missed run-out chances. Their batting was equally shaky, with the ball swinging more under lights than expected.Afghanistan's bowlers, led by Rashid Khan, exploited the low bounce and skid of the Providence pitch to their advantage. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who had played for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL, punished New Zealand's fielding lapses and scored a match-winning 80.Former New Zealand players and experts have criticized the team's decision to opt out of warm-up games. Mitchell McClenaghan and Mike Hesson questioned the logic behind not playing any practice matches, especially given the lack of recent game time for many players.New Zealand's poor net run-rate (-4.2) now puts them in a precarious position in the group of death. They face a must-win match against West Indies on June 12, who have a healthy run-rate (3.574).The Black Caps' hopes of reaching the Super Eights now hang in the balance. They will need to improve their fielding, batting, and overall intensity if they want to avoid an early exit from the tournament.

Afghanistan's stunning 84-run victory over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup was a testament to their unwavering belief in their own abilities. Captain Rashid Khan, who played a pivotal role with a masterful bowling performance of 4/17, emphasized the importance of self-confidence and a focus on their own skills rather than dwelling on their opponents' strengths."Now, we need to beat the teams with our own skills rather than think about the opposition and that's the only thing I have been telling the guys like just make sure we look into our skills," Rashid said after the match.For Rashid, effort is paramount, as he believes that if a team is good enough, results will naturally follow. "It doesn't matter whoever we play, it's more about how good you are, how good you're going to play and what type of energy you are coming with into the ground and that for me is very important. I don't care about the result a lot to be honest. I care more about the effort we put, that's something which gives me lots of pleasure."Afghanistan's victory was particularly significant as it marked their first T20 World Cup win over a top-tier nation. In the past, they had stunned England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the ODI World Cup, but their T20 World Cup record had been less impressive."We haven't had those victories in T20 World Cups. We had in ODI, but in T20, I feel like this was one of the best performance from the guys," said Rashid.Afghanistan's victory was also a testament to the team's resilience and determination. They had lost their opening match of the tournament to England, but they bounced back with a convincing win over Namibia. Against New Zealand, they faced a formidable opponent, but they never lost their belief."We have a very good team, we have a very good bowling attack, we have a very good batting lineup, and we have a very good fielding side," said Rashid. "We just need to believe in ourselves and we need to play our best cricket."Afghanistan's victory has sent shockwaves through the T20 World Cup and has established them as a team to watch. They will face India in their next match, and a win against the tournament favorites would further cement their status as a rising force in world cricket.

Afghanistan's stunning 84-run victory over New Zealand in the T20 World Cup Group C clash in Guyana marked a historic moment for the Afghan team, as it was their first-ever win against the Kiwis in T20 internationals.Skipper Rashid Khan and left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi played pivotal roles in Afghanistan's triumph, each claiming four wickets. Farooqi's impressive spell of 4 for 17 included the crucial wickets of New Zealand's top-order batters, while Khan's 4 for 17 further dismantled the Kiwi batting lineup.Chasing a target of 160, New Zealand's batting faltered, with only Glen Phillips (18) and Matt Henry (12) managing to reach double figures. The entire team was bowled out for a mere 75 runs in just 15.2 overs, a testament to the dominance of Afghanistan's bowling attack.Earlier, Afghanistan's innings was anchored by wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who played a blistering knock of 80 runs off 56 balls. Gurbaz's innings, which included five sixes and as many fours, laid the foundation for Afghanistan's competitive total of 159 for 6. He shared a crucial 103-run partnership with Ibrahim Zadran (44 off 41 balls) for the first wicket.Despite Gurbaz's heroics, Afghanistan's innings lost momentum towards the end, with Trent Boult (2/22) and Matt Henry (2/37) restricting their scoring. However, the Afghan bowlers' exceptional performance ultimately sealed the victory.

New Zealand will face a stern test in their T20 World Cup opener against a formidable Afghanistan side on June 8 in Guyana. The Black Caps find themselves in a challenging Group C alongside two-time champions West Indies and Afghanistan, who are brimming with IPL stars.Despite their recent rain-affected training sessions, New Zealand remains confident in their adaptability, a trait that has served them well in ICC events. Led by Kane Williamson, they boast a wealth of experience and youthful exuberance in the likes of Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra.On paper, New Zealand appears well-equipped with depth in batting and variety in bowling. Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, and Tim Southee form a formidable pace attack, while left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner has an impressive record in the Caribbean.Afghanistan, on the other hand, enter the tournament on the back of a morale-boosting victory over Uganda. Their opening duo of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran provide a solid start, while pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, and skipper Rashid Khan are known for their exceptional skills.However, Afghanistan's batting depth remains a concern, as none of the other batters managed to make a significant contribution against Uganda. Against a formidable Kiwi side, they will need to improve their consistency.In a separate Group D encounter, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will renew their rivalry in Dallas. Sri Lanka, who suffered a crushing defeat to South Africa in their opener, will be eager to bounce back. Their batters need to show better shot selection and match awareness, while the bowlers will look to exploit Bangladesh's recent struggles in the shortest format.Bangladesh, on the other hand, have had a disappointing year in T20Is, losing series to Sri Lanka and USA. They were also handed a comprehensive defeat by India in a warm-up game. Their hopes rest on the shoulders of Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das, and Mustafizur Rahman.