New Zealand look to build momentum against giant-killers Afghanistan

Latham says playing the conditions will be key to the Black Caps' success

New Zealand's Tom Latham plays a shot during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between New Zealand and the Netherlands in Hyderabad. AP

Adapting to sub-continental pitches and success with the ball in the middle overs are key to continuing New Zealand's winning momentum at the Cricket World Cup, their captain Tom Latham said ahead of Wednesday's clash with Afghanistan in Chennai.

Latham replaced Kane Williamson as New Zealand skipper after the latter's tournament-ending injury in Friday's eight-wicket win over Bangladesh, which made it three wins in three matches for the 2015 and 2019 finalists.

"For us it's about trying to adapt to each surface as best we can," Latham told a press conference on Tuesday.

"Some surfaces may be different to others and they may change throughout a 50-over innings ... if we do that I think that gives us a good chance.

"I think it's always the challenge in white-ball cricket, how to stay aggressive through the middle stages when things don't tend to happen as quickly ... we've always tried to be proactive and always looking to take wickets in some way."

New Zealand are playing an Afghanistan side fresh off a 69-run victory over defending champions England on Sunday, with their first win over a Test-playing nation at a World Cup providing a welcome boost after losing their first two matches.

Afghanistan skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi said Chennai was a familiar venue for the sixth-placed team.

"India was our home for two to three years ... in this ground we had our preparation camp for the 2019 World Cup," Shahidi added.

"We spent 40 days here ... the conditions are the same as in Afghanistan. That gives us extra advantage."

Shahidi said Afghanistan needed to break their unfortunate habit of allowing their middle order to collapse if they wanted to build on their shock win over England.

"(Losing) back-to-back wickets puts pressure (on us) and that's happening with us for the last three games," he said. "We have to take responsibility as players, everyone in the middle order."

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  India's Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer celebrate their team's victory. AFP

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  India's Virat Kohli celebrates his fifty. AP

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  India's Shreyas Iyer in action. Reuters

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  India's Virat Kohli congratulates Rohit Sharma for hitting a boundary. AP

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  India's Virat Kohli plays a shot as Afghanistan's wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz watches on. AFP

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  India's captain Rohit Sharma celebrates his century in the Men's Cricket World Cup match against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on October 11, 2023. AFP

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  India's Virat Kohli plays a shot. AFP

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  Afghanistan's Rashid Khan celebrates the wicket of India's Ishan Kishan. AP

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  India's captain Rohit Sharma looks skywards as he celebrates his century. AP

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  Rohit Sharma of India celebrates his century. Getty

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  Rohit Sharma of India hits out. Getty

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  Afghanistan's Rashid Khan reacts as India's captain Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan run run between the wickets. AP

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  India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the wicket of Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi. AP

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  India's Kuldeep Yadav celebrates with Rohit Sharma after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi. Reuters

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  Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi hits a boundary. Reuters

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  The umpire checks on Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi to see if he needs medical attention. Reuters

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  Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai is bowled out by India's Hardik Pandya. Reuters

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  Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai celebrates after reaching his half century. AP

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  India's Kuldeep Yadav takes the catch to dismiss Afghanistan's Rashid Khan. AFP

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  Afghanistan's Hashmatullah Shahidi in action. Reuters

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  India's Hardik Pandya, left, celebrates with teammate Virat Kohli after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz. AFP

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  India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates with Virat Kohli and teammates after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran, caught by KL Rahul. Reuters

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  Rahmanullah Gurbaz of Afghanistan plays a shot. Getty

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  India's Hardik Pandya fields the ball. AP

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  Afghanistan's captain Hashimatullah Shahidi plays a shot. AP

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  India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran, right. AFP

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  New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra and teammate Devon Conway celebrate as they complete the winning run in their nine-wicket victory over England in the Cricket World Cup match at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday, October 5. AP

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  New Zealand's Devon Conway celebrates after scoring 150 runs against England. AP

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  New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra celebrates with Devon Conway after reaching his century against England. Reuters

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  Devon Conway of New Zealand hits out. Getty

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  New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra in action. Reuters

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  New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra celebrates with Devon Conway after reaching his half century. Reuters

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  New Zealand's Rachin Ravindra sways to avoid a short ball. AP

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  Sam Curran of England celebrates the wicket of Will Young of New Zealand. Getty

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  New Zealand's Glenn Phillips, right, celebrates the dismissal of England's Joe Root. AP

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  Joe Root of England is bowled by Glenn Phillips of New Zealand. Getty

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  England's Joe Root is bowled out. AP

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  England's captain Jos Butler, right, congratulates teammate Joe Root on reaching his half century. AP

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  England's Joe Root drives. Reuters

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  New Zealand's Matt Henry celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Jos Buttler, caught by Tom Latham. Reuters

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  England's Jonny Bairstow is bowled out by New Zealand's Glenn Phillips. Reuters

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  England's Jonny Bairstow ducks to avoid a bouncer. AP

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  England's Harry Brook plays a shot. AP

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  Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand celebrates the wicket of Harry Brook of England. Getty

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  England's Liam Livingstone tries to evade a bouncer. AP