New Zealand vs Afghanistan Predictions – T20 World Cup 2024 – 07/06/2024
New Zealand are starting their campaign in the T20 World Cup while Afghanistan are coming on the back of a big win over Uganda.
New Zealand and Afghanistan will be up against each other in the 14th match of the T20 World Cup 2024 on June 8 (Saturday). The match is scheduled to take place at the Providence Stadium in Guyana and will commence at 6 AM IST (7:30 PM local time on June 7).
Here is our analysis for this clash that is scheduled to be played on Friday evening.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan: Prediction [T20 WC 2024] – Best Bets
New Zealand and Afghanistan last faced in the format in the T20 World Cup 2021. While the Kiwis have the upper hand at the moment but Afghanistan have the ability to turn the tables. Here are the best bets for this New Zealand vs Afghanistan match.
New Zealand top batter to be Kane Williamson – 10Cric @ 3.75, BET HERE
Though his strike rate is under the scanner most of the time, the conditions make Kane Williamson the most important batter for New Zealand and he can step up for his side.
Trent Boult to pick more than 1.5 wickets – 1xBet @ 2.1, BET HERE
With the new ball expected to swing, Trent Boult is the biggest threat for Afghanistan. He loves picking wickets in the first over of his spell and can certainly pick a couple of wickets.
Best result of the first partnership – Afghanistan – Parimatch @1.94, BET HERE
Afghanistan openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are coming off a stunning 154-run stand in the previous game. Certainly, they are tuning better and are expected to forge a better partnership compared to New Zealand.
Venue and Pitch Analysis
Providence Stadium in Guyana has hosted two matches so far with one of them being played under the lights. Afghanistan won that game comfortably against Uganda skittling them for 58 runs defending 183. The surface is decent for batting for fast bowlers are likely to swing the new ball in both innings so batters will have to be careful.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Betting Bonus Offers
- ₹100
- ₹75
- ₹1,000
- ₹200
Head-to-Head Record New Zealand vs Afghanistan
New Zealand and Afghanistan have faced each other only in one T20I before. The Kiwis won that encounter by eight wickets.
New Zealand
New Zealand seem to be the most under-prepared side for the T20 World Cup this time around. They didn’t play a single warm-up game and only a couple of days ago, their entire squad teamed up in the Caribbean for the mega event. Moreover, their practice sessions have been hampered with rain as well but the Kane Williamson-led side is known to always surprise everyone and they would be looking to start their campaign on a high.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan are coming off a massive win over Uganda in their T20 World Cup opener. They defeated the debutante by 125 runs defending the 183 runs comfortably at the same venue where they will face New Zealand. Rashid Khan and his men will be keen on continuing their winning momentum and boost their chances of making it to the Super 8 round.
Where to Watch New Zealand vs Afghanistan
Check out the details of where to watch the New Zealand vs Afghanistan match.
- Star Sports Network (TV) / Hotstar (Streaming) – India
- Sky Sports / SkyGo app – UK
- Amazon Prime Video – Australia
- SuperSport – South Africa, Uganda, Namibia
- Sky Sport NZ – New Zealand
- Willow – USA and Canada
- ESPN Caribbean (TV) / ESPN Play Caribbean App (Streaming) – West Indies
- Maharaja TV – Sri Lanka
Toss Prediction
Providence Stadium in Guyana offers a decent pitch to bat but the ball swings under the lights especially in the second innings. For the same reason, batting first will be a good option. However, teams have been opting to bowl predominantly so far and the trend might continue.
New Zealand vs Afghanistan – Key Points
Take a look at the weather forecast, key matchup and favourites to get a better idea on whom to bet on.
Weather conditions
The weather forecast is not ideal in Guyana on June 7 (Friday). There is a forecast of rain for the entire day but the chances reduce significantly in the evening. However, it will remain cloudy with temperature hovering around 28 Degrees Celsius during the match.
Favorites to win the match – New Zealand
New Zealand are certainly the favourites to win the match given their stature. But they cannot afford to take things for granted as Afghanistan have made it a habit to pull down big teams in the mega events.
Key matchup
Kane Williamson has scored only 30 runs off 29 balls against Rashid Khan in three innings while getting out to him once. This could be the key matchup in this encounter.