AUS vs AFG Match Prediction: Who will win today's T20 World Cup 2022 match?

With the hosts of the 2022 T20 World Cup having a net run rate on the wrong side of zero, Friday's Australia vs Afghanistan clash will have more than just two points on the line.

New Zealand, England and Australia are locked in a three-way tussle to progress from Group 1, and unless Ireland manage to spring an upset at the Adelaide Oval earlier in the day, only one of the latter two will make the semi-finals. Unfortunately for the Aussies, their shellacking at the hands of the Kiwis in their opening game of the tournament has put them in a position where they need to win big, and even then they might be absent from the knockout stages of their home World Cup.

England's net run rate hovers around the +0.5 mark, and they'll play Sri Lanka on Saturday. New Zealand's is somewhere high in the thin Aussie sky at +2.233, and the Kiwis' fate will be out in the open by the time the first ball is bowled by either Australia or Afghanistan.

Mohammad Nabi's men have played only two completed games in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup. They've lost both, with England and Sri Lanka making the most of their fragile batting and weak pace attack.

As the only Group 1 team to be mathematically eliminated from semi-final contention, Afghanistan will want to sign off on a high and spoil the hosts' party. Australia, on the other hand, will look to first avoid embarrassment of the highest order and then somehow lift their net run rate out of the doldrums.

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Australia vs Afghanistan Today Match Prediction - Who will win today's T20 World Cup match between Australia and Afghanistan?

Afghanistan v Sri Lanka - ICC Men's T20 World Cup

Both teams have significant injury concerns, and Afghanistan are better placed in that regard. Rashid Khan, who took a tumble while fielding against Sri Lanka, has been adjudged fit for the encounter. Australia, however, are fretting over the fitness of Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis and Tim David.

Cameron Green remains a capable alternative on the bench and Steve Smith could always walk back into the playing XI, but Australia will want their primary group of players to recover in time. Afghanistan are bound to use at least eight overs of spin in Adelaide, and Glenn Maxwell will be crucial irrespective of the men surrounding him in the batting order.

Australia's bowling has been sub-par, too. Mitchell Starc has looked toothless barring the odd trademark full inswinger, while Pat Cummins isn't an excellent T20 option. Adam Zampa's T20 World Cup hasn't gone to plan for more than one reason, although the leggie did bowl a stingy spell against Ireland.

Despite that, however, Australia should have enough bowling resources to trouble an Afghanistan batting unit that has majorly underwhelmed this year. Unless lynchpins like Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Najibullah Zadran step up in a big way, the Aussies should be able to secure two points. Whether they'll do enough to qualify, though, remains to be seen.

AUS vs AFG Match Prediction: Australia to win today