West Indies vs New Zealand. (Source – Getty Images)

West Indies will take on Afghanistan in Match 40 of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia on Tuesday, June 18. Unbeaten after three league games, both the teams have secured their berths in the Super Eight stage and will now aim for a first-round whitewash.

The tournament co-hosts are currently second in the Group C points table due to their lower net run rate (+2.596) compared to the Asian side. The winners of the upcoming battle will finish the league stage as the group toppers. Given the current form of both the teams, it is going to be an exhilirating clash, but the Windies will have a slight advantage at the venue. 

Rovman Powell and Co. started their campaign with a five-wicket win over Papua New Guinea and then defeated Uganda by a massive margin of 134 runs in the subsequent game. They followed it up with a 13-run win over New Zealand. Will they stick with the same playing XI as they have qualified for the next round or will they do some experimenting?

Also Check: Afghanistan’s strongest predicted playing XI against West Indies

Here is the strongest predicted playing XI of West Indies for the 40th match of the T20 WC 2024 against Afghanistan

Openers: Brandon King, Johnson Charles

West Indies openers have struggled to score runs so far in the tournament. Brandon King scored 34 off 29 balls in the first match against Papua New Guinea (PNG). But in the next two matches, he got out for cheap runs. Johnson Charles, on the other hand, bagged two ducks in three innings. He scored 44 against Uganda, but that came at a concerning strike rate of 104.76. The duo could not extend their partnership beyond five overs, highlighting the woes of the Windies opening.

Middle-order: Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell (c), Sherfane Rutherford

Nicholas Pooran is yet to unleash his big-hitting prowess in the series, but he does make impactful cameos coming at one down. The keeper-batter has been Lucknow Super Giants’ best batter in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. West Indies will be hoping that their pocket dynamo will explode in the coming matches. On the other hand,

Roston Chase was adjudged Player of the Match against PNG for his unbeaten 42 off 27 balls. He didn’t get a chance to bat against Uganda and was out for a three-ball duck against New Zealand. Meanwhile, 

Meanwhile, Rovman Powell has not been able to lead the team from the front so far, scoring just 39 runs in three innings. Sherfane Rutherford is the key strength in their middle order. When his team was in dire straits against New Zealand, the southpaw played a match-winning knock of 68* off 39 balls to pull his team out of trouble. 

All-rounders: Romario Shepherd, Andre Russell 

Romario Shepherd has not made any significant contributions to the team thus far. Batting in the lower order, the fast-bowling all-rounder has scored just 18 runs in two innings and taken just two wickets in three matches. Meanwhile, Andre Russell has been instrumental in their impressive run. The big man scored 59 runs in three matches at a staggering strike rate of 178.79 and also claimed four wickets.

Bowlers: Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie 

Akeal Hosein will lead the spin unit for the hosts. The left-arm orthodox bowler has taken seven wickets in three matches, including a five-wicket haul against Uganda. Gudakesh Motie will also join the attack. The left-arm spinner has claimed five wickets so far and is coming on the back of a three-wicket haul against New Zealand.

Alzarri Joseph has been the best bowler for West Indies so far. The right-arm pacer has been able to shine in bowling-friendly conditions in the Caribbean, taking eight wickets at an average of 7.38 in three matches. The tall man played a crucial role in Windies’ victory against the Kiwis with a four-fer.

WI’s Predicted XI for the game against AFG

Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie