Afghanistan out to exorcise the ghosts of Wankhede '23

The ghosts of the Wankhede. Some have spoken about it. Others have stayed away from it but it's undeniable that every member of this Afghanistan team who was in Mumbai on November 6, 2023, will have some memories of what transpired that will never leave them. There they were poised potentially to pull off the biggest win as a national team. Even maybe on the cusp of doing so. Before Glenn Maxwell did what he did by producing arguably the greatest men's ODI World Cup knock ever.

Though not quite as dramatic, the only T20I match between the two sides also saw a spirited performance from Rashid Khan and his team, at his home-ground of the Adelaide Oval. And there were moments that night on November 4, 2022, where the Afghans pushed the home team enough to have them under pressure for most parts of the match. That was a must-win game for Australia to get into the semi-finals, much like this one in St Vincent will be for Afghanistan if they have any hopes of staying alive in the competition. A loss here will in all likelihood be the end of another World Cup campaign, which promised a lot, especially after the way they completely blanked New Zealand earlier in the tournament.

A win, however, will not only keep them alive but also potentially help theme exorcise some of the ghosts from the Wankhede, even if they will never leave them completely.

The two playing Xis will more or less be the same too, even if Maxwell will be striding out to bat a lot earlier in the Australian innings than he did on that unforgettable evening. Getting the better of their nemesis could well be one of the sub-plots to this highly-anticipated contest.

It would be unfair to say that the Australians have been a bit spooked with what they've seen of conditions in St Vincent so far on the TV. But there is concern for sure about how much the pitch will favour the spinners, thereby bringing the highly-skilled Afghan spin attack into the game a lot more. It might dictate how the Aussies themselves go about their approach to this Super 8s encounter, knowing full well that they have been a juggernaut so far in this World Cup and their latest win will get them a spot in the semi-finals, and within two more wins of completing that treble.

When: Australia vs Afghanistan, June 22, 08.30 PM Local, 06.00 am IST (June 23) 10.30 am (June 23) AEST

Where: Arnos Vale Stadium, Arnos Vale, Saint Vincent

What to expect: There's something very special about St Vincent. Despite being so close to slightly more major eastern Caribbean islands like St Lucia and Barbados, it's got a more natural and untouched feel to it. Even if it has got a lot of exposure over the years thanks to the Pirates of the Caribbean. Just like the pitch here has over the last week or so, ever since the T20 World Cup came to St Vincent. There's been less talk about the incredible setting of the Arnos Vale Stadium, which is right next to the eastern Caribbean Sea, but more about the 22 yards in the middle, with spin degrees having been the buzz word about the matches played here already. The weather will be cloudy and the outfield will be fast though, and it could potentially be the most intriguing match of the Super 8s so far.

Head to head: The team have faced off only once in T20Is previously,