Can spirited Afghanistan ground high-flying Pakistan?

Their confidence sky-high after two consecutive victories, Pakistan's razor-sharp attack will test the prowess and maturity of Afghanistan's impressive batters when the two teams clash in a Super 12 Group 2 match in the T20 World Cup today.

The convincing wins over India and New Zealand has made Pakistan the team to watch out in this tournament but the unpredictability factor that has always surrounded this team is something that their Asian neighbours can benefit from.

The Babar Azam-led side will certainly go into this contest as favourites but Afghanistan is not a side that can be taken lightly now. A mix of powerful strikers and world-class spinners make them an exciting unit.

Afghanistan batters dominated the Scotland bowlers with their power-hitting but now they have to contend with an attack which is one of the most dangerous in this event.

Afghanistan players are not fretting over what the future may hold for the team and are instead pre-occupied with the task of making the semi-finals of the flagship event, spinner Rashid Khan said on Thursday.

"To be honest, at the moment, we don't have anything in mind," Rashid, Afghan cricket's brightest star, said ahead of their match against Pakistan. "We have only this thing in the mind that we're here for the World Cup and we're playing five games and we need to win three games."

"What is in our hand is to play the five games of this group stage and try to qualify to the semi-finals and make the country proud," Rashid said.

Pakistan have kick-started their Twenty20 World Cup campaign by winning both their grudge matches but coach Saqlain Mushtaq insists they cannot afford to lower their guard against a "fearless" Afghanistan.

"The boys put their heart and soul in the first two matches," Saqlain, who took over as the interim head coach just before the tournament, told reporters on Thursday.

"The confidence and the self-belief we got from those two matches, we have to take it forward. Regardless of who we face, whether it's Afghanistan or any other team, we need to play that brand of cricket and execute our plans with that mindset."

"If we can't do that, it would come back to bite us."

Afghanistan thumped Scotland by 130 runs in their opener and will rely on their formidable three-pronged spin attack to try and pull off an upset against Pakistan.

"It's a strong unit. We can't really say 'that's very easy and you will roll over them. They have a wonderful bowling attack, especially the spinners, and they bat the way they feel like. They just play sort of a fearless cricket. I think that kind of team can be dangerous," said the former spinner.