ICC Cricket World Cup Match 13, Afghanistan vs New Zealand: Live Updates

Live Cricket Score, AFG vs NZ, World Cup 2019: Hello and welcome to our live blog of Match 13 of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Taunton. New Zealand are heavy favourites against Afghanistan to make it three in a row. Their bowlers are relishing the English conditions, especially Matt Henry who has 7 wickets in two games. He has been their best as for now. The others too have been very good and that is probably going to be Afghanistan's problem as their batting has been extremely poor. Only Najibullah Zadran has shown some kind of form. They have been dealt a blow as well, Mohammad Shahzad has been ruled out of the World Cup. The player yet did not make an impact in this event but he is an impact player so he will be missed. Once again they will be highly dependent on their spinners against a New Zealand side which is not very good against spin. Also, if they somehow manage to get through the Kiwi top four early, they would probably then stand a chance as the middle order seemed fragile in the last game. That is one area the Kiwis would want to address. It is almost a must-win game for the Afghans as a loss here will dent their chances of making it into the knockouts. Will we have an upset in Taunton?

Live Score, World Cup 2019 Match 12, AFG vs NZ: New Zealand win toss and opt to bowl against Afghanistan

Afghanistan (PLAYING XI) - Hazratullah Zazai, Noor Ali Zadran (IN FOR MOHAMMAD SHAHZAD), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib (C), Najibullah Zadran, Ikram Alikhil (WK) (IN FOR MUJEEB UR RAHMAN), Rashid Khan, Aftab Alam (IN FOR DAWLAT ZADRAN), Hamid Hassan.

New Zealand (UNCHANGED PLAYING XI) - Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Kane Williamson (C), Ross Taylor, Tom Latham (WK), James Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.

17.39 IST: New Zealand has won the toss and will bowl first. Kane Williamson will field an unchanged side.

17.38 IST: Hello and welcome to the live blog of the game between Afghanistan and New Zealand.

Brief preview: New Zealand will start as clear favourites against Afghanistan after registering a tight win in their last encounter, when the two sides meet for a World Cup clash on Saturday. Kane Williamson's side is at the top of the standings as they have a better net run-rate than Australia after achieving two contrasting victories. The Black Caps cruised to a 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in their opening game, but had to toil hard for a two-wicket victory against Bangladesh on Wednesday at The Oval in London.