Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has voiced his opinion on a well-oiled and in-form New Zealand side as they look to seal an emphatic win over Afghanistan in their final ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12s encounter in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
Having opted to bat first, the Mohammad nabi-led Afghan side has posted a paltry target of 125 runs for the Blackcaps in a crucial semi-finals spot deciding contest in the Group-2 of the ongoing T20 World Cup on Sunday.
The 44-year-old cricket pundit called the Kiwis a not-so-gun T20 side as New Zealand seem like the favourites to book their berth in the final four of this year’s mega ICC event. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said that New Zealand (NZ) despite being the second-ranked team in Group 2 lack the required batting firepower.
The ex-Delhi batsman even remarked that if NZ does proceed to the semi-finals, they will meet the former World T20 champions England as Eoin Morgan and Co. emerged as the first semi-finalists from Group-1 and the Brits will “chew them raw” in the penultimate encounter in the race towards the T20 WC 2021 title.
Chopra said on his YouTube channel:
“They are like five fingers combined to make a fist. They are not a gun T20 side, let’s be honest… Their batting isn’t that strong. If they win here and reach the semifinals, they’ll qualify at No.2 (in Group 2) and England will chew them up raw. England won’t spare them at all.”
However, Chopra added that New Zealand are still better placed than Afghanistan to win today, but he still suggested that Kane Williamson and Co. being free of net run rate pressure, would play in their typically disciplined fashion to register a win and qualify for the semi-finals. The former opener also explained why the Kiwi skipper will be under “massive pressure” against Morgan’s Brits who are backed as the favourites to win this year’s T20 World Cup.
“But then the fact is they have defeated India and if they defeat Afghanistan, which is the more likely outcome, then they’ll surely go ahead. If they fail in the semifinals, then so be it. At least they got there. So the batting unit isn’t a 200-scoring one. And they won’t be thinking about net run rate because they just have to win via disciplined cricket which they always do,” explained the experienced cricket presenter.
Chasing down a target of 125, New Zealand look all but certain to register a comfortable win against Afghanistan and qualify to face the mighty English in the ICC World T20 semi-finals.
As things stand currently, New Zealand are 58/2 after 9 overs chasing 125 vs Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi.
