SA vs AFG Pitch report: South Africa will be up against Afghanistan in the 42nd match of World Cup 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. The high-flying South Africa took a drubbing from hosts India in their last encounter in Kolkata, while the Afghans are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the mighty Aussies in Mumbai. The two are having different fortunes and clash against each other in Ahmedabad in what would be the final league games for the two.
The Proteas have already secured a place in the semifinals with six wins in their eight outings, while the Afghans had a dream run only to be stopped by Australia as they now hang by a thin thread in the race to the semis. The Afghans have 4 wins in 8 matches.
Narendra Modi Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium offers a decent blend of help for both batters as well as the bowlers. There have been some decent scores made at the venue, while the bowlers have been able to keep the scoring rate under check. Out of three ODI matches played here in the ongoing tournament, never a side has been able to cross 300, which shows the balance the surface offers.
There are red and black soil pitches on offer at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Red soil will offer bounce and spin, while the black soil will play slow and the ball will stay low.
Narendra Modi Stadium - The Numbers Game
ODI Stats
Total ODI matches - 31
Matches won batting first - 17
Matches won bowling first - 14
Average 1st Inns scores - 237
Average 2nd Inns scores - 207
Highest total recorded - 365/2 by RSA vs IND
Lowest total recorded - 85/10 by ZIM vs WI
Highest score chased - 325/5 by IND vs WI
Lowest score defended - 196/10 by WI vs IND
South Africa squad:
Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Gerald Coetzee, Andile Phehlukwayo, Reeza Hendricks, Lizaad Williams
Afghanistan squad:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Ikram Alikhil(w), Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Riaz Hassan, Abdul Rahman, Najibullah Zadran
