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In the upcoming cricket spectacle at Ahmedabad, the spotlight will be on South Africa and Afghanistan as they lock horns in Match 42 of the 2023 Cricket World Cup on Friday. With South Africa comfortably securing a spot in the semi-finals, the stakes are high for Afghanistan, currently in sixth place, who still harbor hopes of breaking into the coveted top four with a crucial victory.
Despite encountering two defeats in the tournament, South Africa finds itself in a formidable position, having already sealed a spot in the semi-finals. Their recent setback, a 243-run loss to India, presents a considerable challenge, but given their consistent high-quality performances in ODIs over recent months, they appear well-prepared to bounce back against Afghanistan.
Afghanistan, in their last match, came tantalizingly close to toppling Australia but fell short due to Glenn Maxwell's remarkable ODI innings. The resilience of Afghanistan's bowlers under pressure from aggressive opponents will undoubtedly be a pivotal aspect to monitor in the upcoming clash. However, facing South Africa poses yet another stern test for the Afghan side.
Anticipating the exciting showdown, here's a glimpse into the predicted playing elevens for both teams:
South Africa Predicted Playing 11:
Quinton de Kock (wk)
Temba Bavuma (c)
Rassie van der Dussen
Aiden Markram
Heinrich Klaasen
David Miller
Marco Jansen
Keshav Maharaj
Kagiso Rabada
Lungi Ngidi
Tabraiz Shamsi
Afghanistan Predicted Playing 11:
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Ibrahim Zadran
Rahmat Shah
Hashmatullah Shahidi (c)
Azmatullah Omarzai
Mohammad Nabi
Rashid Khan
Ikram Alikhil (wk)
Fazalahaq Farooqi
Noor Ahmad
Naveen-ul-Haq