Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Key player battles to look out for

LEEDS: Today's clash against Afghanistan is yet another must-win match for Pakistan, who are very much in contention for the semi-finals and need to win both of their remaining matches to keep their World Cup hopes alive. 

As the two neighbours prepare to face off in dry, sunny Leeds, here are some top player battles to keep an eye out for:

Hashmatullah Shahidi vs Mohammad Amir

It's going to be an epic battle between Pakistan's pace threat and top wicket-taker in this World Cup, Mohammad Amir, and Afghanistan's highest scorer in the tournament, Hashmatullah Shahidi. 

Amir is the second highest wicket-taker in the ongoing World Cup so far with 16 scalps from six matches, behind Australia's Mitchell Starc, who has 19.

Hashmatullah Shahidi leads the board for Afghanistan, with 197 runs from seven matches at an average of 28.14 and highest score of 76, which he piled on in a gritty innings against England earlier.

Babar Azam vs Rashid Khan

Babar Azam is in the form of his life. The young prodigy hit his maiden World Cup hundred in Pakistan's do-or-die encounter against New Zealand on Wednesday, taking his team safely home with his heroic innings. He is also the highest-scorer for the Men in Green with 333 runs from six matches at an astounding average of 66.60.

Rashid Khan is Afghanistan's poster boy for leg-spin, but has been struggling with the wickets. Third in the one-day international bowling rankings, he has taken just four wickets in the tournament so far, and returned humiliating figures of 0-110 in his nine overs against England — the worst in the competition's history.

But the threat posed by the 20-year-old remains. His tally of 129 ODI wickets since the end of the 2015 World Cup is bettered only by England's Adil Rashid.

Fakhar Zaman vs Mujeeb Ur Rahman

The 18-year old Mujeeb Ur Rahman is Rashid Khan's spin twin and shone against India and Bangladesh. He has five wickets from five matches played so far in the World Cup, and is expected to start the attack for Afghanistan with the new ball like he did in the past two games. 

Mujeeb Ur Rahman also previously dismissed Fakhar Zaman for a six-ball duck in the Asia Cup game between the two teams last year. The left-handed batsman has been inconsistent with an average of 28.83 in the ongoing tournament, and will need to see off the off-spinner safely. 

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