Pakistan got off to a promising start in this World Cup edition, securing victories in their first two matches against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. However, they faced back-to-back losses to India and Australia in their subsequent games. After playing a total of four matches, they have two wins to their credit and currently occupy the fifth position on the points table.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s performance in the tournament has been less than stellar. They have participated in four matches, with only one win to their name. Unfortunately, they have faced defeat in three matches, leaving them at the bottom of the points table.

Pakistan: In their most recent match, Pakistan faced a tough loss, falling to Australia by a margin of 62 runs. Pakistan had won the toss and opted to field first, but their bowling unit struggled to perform at their best, conceding a total of 367 runs in 50 overs. Shaheen Afridi emerged as the standout bowler for Pakistan, claiming five wickets in his ten overs, albeit at the expense of 54 runs. Haris Rauf also managed to secure three wickets but proved expensive, conceding 83 runs in just eight overs. While Pakistan’s strength traditionally lies in their bowling, it hasn’t been as effective in this tournament.

Usama Mir contributed with one wicket, but the remaining bowlers failed to make significant breakthroughs. Hasan Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, and Iftikhar Ahmed were among those who couldn’t secure any wickets. Pakistan’s fielding was another area of concern, with numerous dropped catches contributing to the high run tally conceded. The Pakistan management should address these issues and work on improving their bowling performance in upcoming matches.

Despite a good effort from Pakistan’s batting order, they couldn’t chase down the target of 368 runs, eventually being dismissed for 306 runs in 45.3 overs. Imam-ul-Haq was the top run-scorer for Pakistan, amassing 70 runs off 71 balls with ten boundaries. Abdullah Shafique also made a valuable contribution, scoring 64 runs from 61 balls, including seven boundaries and two sixes. Mohammad Rizwan contributed 46 runs, while Saud Shakeel scored 30 runs. Pakistan’s batting shows promise, and with better support from their bowlers and improved fielding, they can aim for stronger performances in future matches.

Afghanistan: Afghanistan has struggled in the tournament, winning only one of their four matches so far. In their most recent match, they faced a defeat against New Zealand by a substantial margin of 149 runs. Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field first. Unfortunately, their bowling performance wasn’t very impressive, as they conceded 288 runs in 50 overs.

Naveen-ul-Haq emerged as the most successful bowler for Afghanistan, claiming two wickets in his eight overs, though he conceded 48 runs. Azmatullah Omarzai also contributed with two wickets but was relatively expensive, giving away 56 runs in seven overs. Rashid Khan was the most economical bowler, taking one wicket in his ten overs while conceding 43 runs. Meanwhile, Mujeeb Ur Rahman secured one wicket in his ten overs, despite being charged for 57 runs. On the other hand, Mohammad Nabi and Fazalhaq Farooqi went wicketless. Afghanistan’s bowlers need to improve their performance to pose a stronger challenge.

The Afghan batting order has struggled to make an impact in the tournament, as evident in their recent match, where they were bowled out for just 139 runs in 34.4 overs. Rahmat Shah was the top run-scorer, amassing 36 runs, although he faced 62 balls and managed just one boundary. Azmatullah Omarzai contributed 27 runs from 32 balls, including two boundaries. Ikram Alikhil remained not out after scoring 19 runs, while Ibrahim Zadran could only muster 14 runs. Afghanistan’s batsmen must work on their consistency and performance to enhance their competitiveness in future matches.

Pakistan: Babar Azam (Captain), Mohammad Rizwan (Wicket-Keeper), Saud Shakeel, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf

Afghanistan: Hashmatullah Shahidi (Captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (Wicket-Keeper), Rahmat Shah, Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi

As per cricket predictions, Pakistan is favored to win this match against Afghanistan. Several factors contribute to Pakistan’s status as the favorite:

• Pakistan’s Decent Record Against Afghanistan: Pakistan has a reasonably good track record when facing Afghanistan in cricket matches.
• In-Form Top Batting Order: Pakistan boasts a top batting order that is currently in good form, and capable of setting or chasing competitive targets.
• Struggling Bowling Unit in This Tournament: While Pakistan’s main bowlers have had their challenges in this tournament, the team’s overall strength and potential to perform well with the ball are well-recognized.
• Afghanistan’s Recent Struggles: Afghanistan has faced difficulties in the current tournament, losing three out of four matches played so far. This raises concerns about their form and performance.
• Full Force from Both Teams: It is expected that both Pakistan and Afghanistan will give their best efforts and play with full intensity, making the match highly competitive.

Given these factors, Pakistan enters the match with a favorable outlook, but cricket can be unpredictable, and Afghanistan may still put up a strong fight.

Pakistan enters this match as a well-balanced team with a formidable batting order and a strong bowling unit, thereby increasing their prospects for victory. Here’s the breakdown of the win probabilities for today’s cricket match:

Pakistan holds a 58% chance of winning this match.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, carries a 42% chance of winning this contest.

These probabilities reflect Pakistan’s strength and form in this match, though cricket matches can often yield surprising outcomes.

The toss’s significance in determining the outcome of every match in the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 cannot be understated. In line with toss predictions, the team that wins the coin toss is likely to opt for batting first. This decision is based on the expectation that the pitch’s behavior will remain consistent throughout both innings, making it advantageous to set a target for the opposition.

The upcoming 22nd match of the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 is scheduled to take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Based on previous matches held at this venue, the pitch here is favorable for batting. However, it tends to be on the slower side compared to other pitches, offering an advantage to spin bowlers. Anticipations are that the pitch may become even slower, making it somewhat challenging for batsmen in this forthcoming match. Therefore, chasing a score exceeding 300 could prove to be a formidable task.

The weather forecast for the upcoming cricket match in Chennai is less than ideal. There are indications of potential rain, although we remain hopeful for a complete and uninterrupted game. Recent rainfall in Pakistan has led to disruptions in some previous matches. We hold the expectation that this match might also be influenced by rainy conditions, possibly necessitating the use of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method to determine the result.

• Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium
• City: Chennai, India
• Seating Capacity: 50,000
• Also Known As: Chepauk; Madras Cricket Club Ground
• Ends: Anna Pavilion End, V Pattabhiraman Gate End
• Time Zone: UTC +05:30
• Home Team: Tamil Nadu, Chennai Super Kings
• Floodlights: Yes