NED vs AFG Dream11 prediction: 3 differentials you can pick in today's 2023 World Cup match - Nov 3

In what should be a cracking contest, the Netherlands (NED) and Afghanistan (AFG) are set to square off against each other in Match 34 of the ongoing ICC men's ODI World Cup 2023. The upcoming fixture will be played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday, November 3.

Both the teams have been quite impressive in the tournament thus far and have beaten some heavyweights already.

The Netherlands have thrashed South Africa and Bangladesh, and are placed eighth on the points table. Afghanistan, meanwhile, have been phenomenal and have beaten the likes of England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka with utmost maturity. A win for Afganistan will make them a serious contender for the knockout stages.

Before Dream11 users lock in their fantasy teams for the Netherlands vs Afghanistan match, here's a look at three players who could prove to be differentials.

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#1 Fazalhaq Farooqi - AFG

Fazalhaq Farooqi during England v Afghanistan - ICC World Cup 2023 [Getty Images]

With Lucknow's Ekana Stadium to host the match, several users are expected to include many spinners in their teams. However, one shouldn't leave out Fazalhaq Farooqi, who could bag a cluster of wickets if he gets going.

As we saw in the last game in Lucknow, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami generated massive movement off the deck against England. With his left-arm angle, Farooqi can create a lot of trouble if the pitch plays the same way this time around as well.

Moreover, left-arm quicks have been the weakness for the Dutch batters, with both Max O'Dowd and Vikramjit Singh getting dismissed against the left-arm pacers six times each since 2021. Bas de Leede (5), Teja Nidamanuru (5) and Wesley Barresi (3) have also been fallen prey quite a lot of times.

Farooqi bagged the Player of the Match in his last game against Sri Lanka and will look to replicate the same efforts on Friday.

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#2 Wesley Barresi - NED

Wesley Barresi for the Netherlands [Getty Images]

After Teja Nidamanuru failed to fire in the first five games, the Netherlands replaced him with Wesley Barresi in the match against Bangladesh.

Barresi looked in fine touch and straightaway made a run-a-ball 41, which included eight exquisite boundaries. At 39 years of age, he is the oldest player in the tournament but also has enough experience in his bag.

Barresi was also part of the Dutch side during the 2011 World Cup; hence, he knows a thing or two about playing in subcontinent conditions. The Johannesburg-born has averaged 51.00 after three ODI innings against Afghanistan and could be a differential pick for Dream11 users.

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#3 Mohammad Nabi - AFG

Mohammad Nabi pumped up after a wicket [Getty Images]

Despite being one of the stalwarts of Afghan cricket, Mohammad Nabi has underperformed in the ongoing tournament. He has made just 41 runs at a mere average of 10.25 with the bat. With his off-breaks, Nabi has taken only three wickets at a poor strike rate of 80.00.

However, Nabi is too good a player to miss out on the rest of the tournament as well. With a bucketload of experience under his belt, Nabi will be raring to help his side clinch the must-win encounter.

Given the sluggish nature of the Ekana surface, he is bound to bowl quite a lot of overs. Most Dream11 fantasy users are expected to stack up their all-rounder section with the likes of Azmatullah Omarzai, Bas de Leede, and Logan van Beek. With that being the case, Nabi could be a great wildcard contender.