The 34th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 will be played between Netherlands and Afghanistan on Friday, November 3 at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium, Lucknow.
Both Afghanistan and the Netherlands are riding high on confidence after securing victories over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in their respective last matches.
Afghanistan are still in the race for the semifinals, having won three out of their six matches in the tournament. Their hopes are alive, but they must secure convincing victories in their remaining games, making this upcoming match against the Netherlands crucial.
On the other hand, the Netherlands has won only two of their six tournament matches. Their chances of reaching the semifinals are slim, but they can draw satisfaction from their strong showings against big teams. With this in mind, they are all set to play spoilsport in Afghanistan's party.
Afghanistan’s opener, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, could be the best batter in game 34 of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. Being in exceptional form, Gurbaz has been one of the best batters for his side in the tournament. Having scored 385 runs in his last 10 games, Gurbaz’s knock could prove to be crucial for his side against the Netherlands.
The Netherlands’ Bas de Leede could be the best bowler in game 34 of the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. De Leede has been in sensational form as of late as well. Consistently taking wickets for the Netherlands, the all-rounder has taken 19 wickets in his last nine matches, and it could be interesting to see how he fares against Afghanistan.
Looking at their ODI head-to-head history, Afghanistan dominates with seven wins out of the nine clashes against the Netherlands. The Dutch team, on the other hand, has only tasted victory twice in these matchups.
The ODI World Cup will witness the Netherlands and Afghanistan facing off for the very first time, as they have never collided in this marquee competition.
Both Afghanistan and the Netherlands are set to make history with their first-ever ODI encounter on Indian soil, as their paths have not crossed in this setting until now.
