New Delhi: England would aim to build on its last victory while Afghanistan would look to register its first win when the two sides meet at Old Trafford in Manchester on June 18.
England will enter the match with three wins and one loss from four games so far. Currently, the hosts sit on the fourth place with six points. On the other hand, Afghanistan are placed at the bottom of the table with four losses in as many games.
Both England and Afghanistan are yet to win a World Cup trophy. England have thrice ended as the finalists in the tournament (1979, 1987 and 1992), whereas Afghanistan joined the marquee competition only during the 2015 edition and ended its campaign in the group stage.
Following are the key players to watch out in the World Cup match between England and Afghanistan:
Jos Buttler
England wicket-keeper batsman Buttler is in tremendous touch for his team. The right-hander provides late flourish to help England post challenging totals on the board. Buttler scored a quickfire knock of 103 runs off just 76 balls in a match against Pakistan, which almost took England over the line. Buttler's performance makes him a go-to player for the team. He then went on to hit 64 off just 44 balls against Bangladesh, which helped England post a mighty score of 386/6.
Rashid Khan
The 20-year-old Rashid leads Afghanistan's spin bowling attack as the youngster is capable of delivering a stellar performance in the game. Rashid entered the World Cup at the back of 17 wickets in the concluded 2019 IPL. He returned with the figures of 2-17 against Sri Lanka in a World Cup match.
Jofra Archer
Archer, who did not find a spot in the preliminary squad, proved that his inclusion in the final 15-man team, was a wise decision as he took three wickets in the opening World Cup match and conceded just 27 runs in his seven overs against South Africa. The bowler has been seen rushing the batsmen in the tournament as he went onto bag three wickets each against Bangladesh and West Indies.
Mohammad Nabi
Nabi strengthens Afghanistan's bowling attack as the 34-year-old provides experience to the squad. He bagged four wickets against Sri Lanka in a World Cup match. All-rounder Nabi can also add some runs with a bat when required by the team.
